Liam Lawson Opens Up on 'Unimaginable' Social Media Abuse After Perez Incident

Liam Lawson has revealed the shocking scale of social media abuse he endured following his infamous clash with Sergio Perez at the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix. The New Zealander, then substituting for Daniel Ricciardo at Visa Cash App RB in just his second F1 race, was flooded with horrific messages after showing Perez his middle finger during their heated battle.

Why it matters:

The incident offers a raw look at the toxic side of modern F1 fan culture in the social media era. For a rookie in just his second grand prix, the relentless wave of online hate became a harsh wake-up call to the sport's unforgiving spotlight, ultimately forcing him to erase his digital presence entirely.

The details:

• Speaking on the High Performance podcast, Lawson said he had not muted his Instagram notifications after the race, leading to an overwhelming flood of abusive message requests and comments.
• The vitriol came from a section of Perez's passionate Mexican fanbase immediately after their duel at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
• The backlash was so severe that Lawson deleted all social media apps from his phone. He only returned to select platforms in 2025, using them solely to keep up with friends rather than engage with F1 discourse.
• Despite the trauma, Lawson now describes Mexico as a formative moment he is "grateful" for, saying it taught him crucial lessons about handling the pressures of Formula 1.

Between the lines:

Lawson's experience underscores a growing challenge for young drivers entering F1 at a time when online scrutiny is instant and relentless. The episode also adds context to his tough on-track persona, suggesting the fallout from Mexico may have shaped the measured but aggressive approach he has carried into his subsequent stints in the sport.