Lawson disqualified from Mexico City qualifying after MGU-K breach

Liam Lawson has been disqualified from qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix after his Racing Bulls car failed MGU-K technical checks. He had qualified eighth, which would have become ninth after an earlier grid penalty, but will now start from the back of the grid.

Why it matters:

The penalty removes a strong qualifying result from a driver already under scrutiny after his FP2 collision with Max Verstappen. It also underlines how strictly F1 polices power-unit deployment rules, even when no lap-time advantage is gained.

The details:

• Lawson’s infringement occurred at the end of his fastest Q2 lap. Evidence showed he did not immediately lift off the throttle after crossing the finish line, so the MGU-K did not reduce power according to the required deployment profile.
• The stewards found the car breached Articles C5.12.6 and C5.12.7. Racing Bulls self-reported the issue and argued Lawson gained no advantage, but the stewards said technical compliance is required throughout the event.
• Lawson had already received a one-place grid penalty for the Verstappen incident. A separate decision allowed him to race; he is set to start last alongside Valtteri Bottas.
• Verstappen remains fifth on the provisional grid, behind Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli.

What's next:

Lawson faces a long charge through the field if he is to score points. For Racing Bulls, the focus shifts to damage limitation and understanding why the MGU-K deployment procedure was not followed.