Lawson Owns Up to Mexico Qualifying Error After Pit-Lane Recovery

Liam Lawson has taken responsibility for the qualifying error that led to his disqualification from Mexico City GP qualifying, admitting 'a lot was going through my head' during a long weekend that included a practice incident with Max Verstappen. Starting from the pit lane after engine changes, the Racing Bulls driver recovered to seventh place, aided by post-race penalties for Oscar Piastri and Franco Colapinto.

Why it matters:

Lawson's ability to salvage points from adversity highlights his resilience as he auditions for a 2027 seat. The incident also underscores the fine margins in F1, where a split-second lapse can dramatically alter a race weekend.

The details:

• Lawson qualified eighth on the road but was pushed back one place for his FP2 incident with Verstappen.
• He then failed to lift off in time after his Q2 lap, exceeding the power unit's rampdown limit and causing a technical disqualification.
• From the pit lane, he rallied to ninth on the road, which became seventh after penalties for Piastri and Colapinto.
• A dashboard glitch showed a Virtual Safety Car message for a split second on the restart, costing him positions.
• He also engaged in a late duel with Pierre Gasly, who he felt was not 'generous' in giving back a position after a Turn 1 lock-up.

What's next:

Lawson's third six-point haul in four races brings his total to 83 points, strengthening his case for a 2027 seat. However, with uncertainty over his future, every performance counts.