Hamilton: Lawson near-miss 'not the drivers' fault'

Lewis Hamilton has played down his FP2 near-miss with Liam Lawson, insisting the moment the Racing Bulls driver nearly ran into the back of his Ferrari was "not the drivers' fault."

Why it matters:

With the 2026 season reaching its decisive stretch, every lap counts as teams fine-tune their new-generation packages. A practice collision could have compromised both drivers' weekends, so Hamilton's measured response keeps the focus where it belongs — on the track.

The details:

• The incident unfolded as Hamilton slowed through a congested section of the circuit while Lawson approached at speed behind him.
• The Racing Bulls driver was forced to take swift evasive action to avoid contact, but neither car sustained damage.
• Hamilton was quick to deflect blame, pointing to tricky conditions and traffic patterns that left both drivers with nowhere to go.
• "It's not the drivers' fault," Hamilton explained, noting that the timing of the laps and the positioning of cars made the situation unavoidable.
• Both drivers continued their programs without further drama, with Hamilton completing his planned long-run work for Ferrari.

What's next:

Ferrari will be hoping for a cleaner final practice session before qualifying, with Hamilton eager to build momentum. Lawson, meanwhile, will look to carry his confidence into Saturday after showing encouraging pace in the Racing Bulls machine.