“He drove straight into me,” Liam Lawson said over the radio following a collision with teammate Max Verstappen during the second free practice session for the Mexico City Grand Prix. The incident caused damage to both Red Bull cars and triggered a red flag to clear carbon debris from the track.
Verstappen and Lawson collide in stadium section
Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson clashed in the third sector of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez while fighting for position in the stadium area. Verstappen attempted to pass Lawson during a fast lap, but Lawson resisted the move. Verstappen then steered back toward the track approximately 20 meters later, resulting in a touch that damaged the floor and barge board of Verstappen’s car and the nose of Lawson’s vehicle.
The collision forced a temporary halt to the session. Both drivers are required to appear before the stewards to explain their actions. Lawson expressed frustration over the radio, claiming such incidents happen every weekend.
Did you know?
The collision occurred in the “stadium section,” a part of the Mexico City circuit known for its tight corners and large crowds.
Leclerc leads second practice session
Charles Leclerc finished P1 in the second free practice, marking his second fastest session of the weekend. While his lead was smaller than in the first session, he remained ahead of Lando Norris and George Russell, who completed the top three. The gap between second and third place was only three-thousandths of a second.
Verstappen over Lawson: "Toen hij mij zag aankomen begon hij ineens te versnellen. Ik weet niet wat er in zijn hoofd omging, dat hij mij in de hairpin van de baan wilde rijden. Dat is niet heel verstandig gedrag van iemand in zijn positie, om een gevecht met mij uit te kiezen.”
Verstappen, who missed the first session to allow Ayumu Iwasa to drive the RB22, finished P5 after gradually increasing his pace. Isack Hadjar followed in P6, which was a positive result after the Frenchman faced engine issues during the first session. Lewis Hamilton experienced separate technical difficulties, stalling on track during the session.
| Position | Driver |
|---|---|
| P1 | Charles Leclerc |
| P2 | Lando Norris |
| P3 | George Russell |
| P5 | Max Verstappen |
Mexico City Grand Prix Rookie Lineup
- Mercedes: Frederik Vesti
- Red Bull: Ayumu Iwasa
- Red Bull: Nikola Tsolov
- McLaren: Leonardo Fornaroli
- Alpine: Gabriele Mini
- Haas: Ryo Hirakawa
- Audi: Freddie Slater
- Williams: Luke Browning
- Aston Martin: Jak Crawford
- Cadillac: Colton Herta
Common questions about the Mexico City FP sessions
Why was there a red flag in the second session?
The FIA deployed a red flag to remove carbon fiber debris from the track after the collision between Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson.
Which drivers were the fastest across both sessions?
Charles Leclerc finished P1 in both the first and second free practice sessions.
Both Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson are scheduled to meet with the stewards to discuss the collision before the next session of the Grand Prix weekend.
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