Permane rejects Verstappen's 'not very smart' Lawson jab after Mexico practice clash

Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane has brushed aside Max Verstappen's suggestion that Liam Lawson's defending in Mexican Grand Prix second practice was 'not very smart', insisting the clash was simply 'unnecessary' and will have no impact on the New Zealander's future with the team.

Why it matters:

Lawson has yet to be confirmed for next season, with Red Bull junior Nikola Tsolov — who ran FP1 for Racing Bulls in Mexico — knocking on the door. Verstappen's hint that Lawson should think harder 'when you're fighting for your seat' carried real weight given Red Bull's influence over the sister team. Permane's swift, public backing shuts that line of argument down.

The details:

• Approaching the stadium section, Verstappen dived down the inside into Turn 13; Lawson held his ground and forced the Red Bull wide.
• Contact came as Verstappen rejoined over the kerb. Lawson pitted for a new front wing, while the RB22 picked up bargeboard damage.
• Lawson on the radio: 'He literally drove into me. If I back out every single time, what do I actually do?'
• Verstappen's verdict: 'Maybe not very smart behaviour, what he was trying to do there… If I would be him, I would act a little bit smarter.'
• Permane's read on the incident: both drivers were chasing a fast final sector to prepare their tyres for Turn 1. 'If I describe it in one word, it's just unnecessary.'
• On Lawson's contract: 'That's not the case. I'm sure they've both got their opinion, but in the cold light of day they'll think we could have both done better.'
• The FIA reviewed the contact and confirmed penalties for both drivers.

What's next:

Neither driver is likely to lose sleep over a Friday flashpoint, but the subplot is worth watching. Lawson now has a team principal publicly in his corner — the clearest signal yet that his seat is safe — while Verstappen's frustration at being held up in practice speaks to a Red Bull weekend that already looks scrappy.