News Summary
- Max Verstappen warned Liam Lawson against challenging him unnecessarily, suggesting the Racing Bulls driver should be focused on securing his Formula 1 future.
- The Dutchman insisted he has always supported Lawson within Red Bull, despite their collision during Mexican Grand Prix FP2.
- Both drivers received one-place grid penalties and one super licence penalty point after the FIA held them responsible for the incident.
Max Verstappen has delivered a pointed warning to Liam Lawson following their collision during practice for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, arguing that the New Zealander should think carefully about picking a fight with him while trying to secure his Formula 1 future. The four-time world champion also stressed that he has consistently supported Lawson within the Red Bull organisation.
“You fight for your seat. Then you definitely shouldn’t pick a fight with me. I have always supported him. I get along very well with him. And I have also always recommended him very positively within the team,” Verstappen said.
The comments followed the collision between Verstappen and Lawson during Friday’s FP2, which resulted in damage to both cars and disciplinary action from the FIA.
Verstappen questions Lawson’s decision to fight him
The incident occurred in the stadium section of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where Verstappen attempted to overtake Lawson during a preparation lap.
Lawson resisted the move and the drivers continued side by side through the narrow sequence of corners before making contact.
Verstappen’s Red Bull suffered floor damage, while Lawson’s Racing Bulls sustained front-wing damage. The incident also interrupted the session as marshals cleared debris from the circuit.
The FIA subsequently ruled that both drivers had contributed to an unnecessary confrontation and imposed one-place grid penalties, along with one penalty point on each driver’s super licence.
Verstappen’s latest remarks go beyond criticism of the driving itself. By referring to Lawson’s battle to retain his seat, the Dutchman also highlighted the New Zealander’s position within the Red Bull driver programme.
The two drivers were briefly teammates at Red Bull in 2025 before Lawson returned to Racing Bulls.
Verstappen says he has always backed Lawson at Red Bull
Despite the disagreement, Verstappen insisted that his relationship with Lawson had previously been positive.
The Dutchman said he had repeatedly recommended Lawson within the team, making clear that his frustration concerned the driver’s conduct during practice rather than a longstanding personal dispute.
Lawson’s future remains under scrutiny as Red Bull evaluates its driver options for 2027.
The New Zealander has been competing alongside Arvid Lindblad at Racing Bulls, while Verstappen and Isack Hadjar represent the senior team.
The Mexican incident came during a competitive weekend for the Red Bull organisation. Verstappen finished fifth in FP3, while Hadjar placed eighth, Lawson ninth and Lindblad tenth.
Lawson’s one-place grid penalty will be applied after qualifying, as will Verstappen’s sanction.
The four-time champion enters the session attempting to recover ground on Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes after Lando Norris edged Andrea Kimi Antonelli by just 0.001s in final practice.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following every session of the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, with breaking news, full coverage and real-time updates in its Formula 1 section.
