Liam Lawson's Frightening Near-Miss with Marshals at Mexico City GP

Liam Lawson endured a terrifying near-miss with two Formula 1 marshals during the early stages of the Mexico City Grand Prix, an incident that prompted a furious reaction from the Racing Bulls driver.

Why it matters:

Such incidents highlight severe safety protocol breaches and pose extreme danger to both drivers and track personnel. In a sport where milliseconds matter and speeds are immense, any miscommunication or misjudgment regarding track clearage can have catastrophic consequences. This event serves as a stark reminder of the constant need for vigilance and flawless execution of safety procedures.

The details:

• Lawson, starting 15th, suffered front wing damage after contact with Alex Albon at Turn 1 on the opening lap, forcing an immediate pit stop.
• Upon rejoining the track after his pit stop, Lawson, now at the back of the field, encountered two marshals running across the circuit at Turn 1.
• A yellow flag had been deployed at Turn 1 due to debris from the initial collision, but marshals were seen on the racing line as Lawson passed through.
• A visibly shaken Lawson expressed his disbelief and anger over the team radio: "Wait, the f***? Oh my God, are you kidding me? Did you just see that? What the f*** is this?" He later added: "I could've f****** killed him mate."
• Lawson's race ended prematurely, as he later retired from the Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Between the lines:

This incident isn't isolated. There have been previous instances of marshals or recovery vehicles being on track while cars were still circulating, notably at the 2022 Japanese Grand Prix involving Pierre Gasly. These repeated occurrences suggest a systemic issue in marshaling protocols under yellow flag conditions, or a failure in communicating critical information in real-time to both drivers and track personnel. The speed of an F1 car, even under yellow, makes such crossings incredibly risky.

What's next:

The FIA will undoubtedly launch an investigation into this alarming incident to understand how the marshals were allowed onto an active track during a yellow flag period with a car approaching. Stricter guidelines and improved communication systems will likely be reviewed and implemented to prevent any recurrence and ensure the safety of everyone on track.