Verstappen and Lawson Handed Grid Penalties for 'Clumsy' Mexico FP2 Clash

Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson will both serve a one-place grid penalty at the Mexico City Grand Prix after stewards ruled their second-practice collision in the stadium section was "unnecessary" and "clumsy".

The flashpoint came in the closing stages of FP2 when Verstappen, on a cool-down lap in the Red Bull, dived down the inside of Lawson's Racing Bulls at Turn 13 and waved a hand in frustration at being held up. Lawson held his line, Verstappen was squeezed over the kerb, and the pair touched as the Dutchman rejoined the track — enough to send Lawson in for a new front wing, leave Verstappen's bargeboard damaged and bring out a brief red flag to clear debris.

Why it matters:

Both drivers had already sat through a warning on driving conduct at the team managers' meeting that morning, and the stewards cited it directly when escalating the sanction from a formal reprimand to a genuine grid drop. With the championship fight tightening and midfield teams scrapping over every point, a single position on the grid carries real weight in Mexico.

The details:

• Stewards handed out identical judgements, noting neither driver's actions were acceptable given the earlier warning and similar practice incidents this season.
• Both admitted the moves were unnecessary and "clumsy" in their hearing.
• Each also collected a penalty point: Verstappen's first in 12 months, Lawson's fourth.
• Before the hearing, Verstappen told Sky Sports that Lawson's defence was "maybe not very smart behaviour", adding: "If I would be him, I would act a little bit smarter. Also, when you're fighting for your seat, it's not very smart behaviour."

What's next:

The grid drops will be applied to whatever positions the pair qualify in, shuffling the order behind them. Lawson has more at stake than Sunday's result, with Racing Bulls yet to confirm him for 2027 — and a reputation for on-track flashpoints with a Red Bull driver is unlikely to help his case.