Lawson Made Sure Red Bull Knew He Waved Verstappen Through on Purpose

Liam Lawson wanted it on the record: letting Max Verstappen past at Interlagos was his decision, not a team instruction. The Racing Bulls driver slowed on the Reta Oposta on lap 11 of the São Paulo Grand Prix and immediately told race engineer Alexandre Iliopoulos the call was his — a point he was happy for Red Bull to hear as well.

Why it matters:

A week earlier the pair had collided in Mexico City practice, with Verstappen branding Lawson's refusal to yield "not very smart behaviour" while his future was still unsettled. Lawson's willingness to wave his former teammate through, rather than scrap for position, closes that loop — and it helped Verstappen's surge from 21st on the grid to second.

The details:

• Lawson lined up third after grid penalties and nipped past Lando Norris at the start to run second.
• By lap nine his intermediates were graining badly, leaving him with "no fronts" and traction that was "really, really bad."
• Two laps later, with Verstappen clear of Nico Hulkenberg's Audi, Lawson handed over the place and lost over a second in the process.
• "Yep, I let him go," he confirmed as Oscar Piastri closed to within a second.
• He still salvaged seventh in the changeable conditions, while Verstappen finished second.

What's next:

Racing Bulls ended the speculation earlier this week by confirming Lawson alongside Arvid Lindblad for 2027, with the Faenza squad on the brink of a fifth-place constructors' finish. "I appreciate all the support I've seen over the last few weeks," he said. "I'm just trying to enjoy driving the car."