Lawson and Verstappen receive grid penalties after Mexico practice collision
Saturday 31 October 2026 · 3 outlets · 7 reports · updated In this story Liam Lawson, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Arvid Lindblad
Liam Lawson and Max Verstappen have each been handed a one-place grid penalty following an unacceptable collision during the second practice session in Mexico. The incident caused a red flag to clear debris from the track. Stewards investigated the clash after Verstappen attempted to overtake the Racing Bulls driver.
Key facts
4 facts
- Lawson and Verstappen received one-place grid penalties for the Mexico Grand Prix
- The collision occurred during the second practice session at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
- The incident caused a red flag to clear debris from the track
- Lawson finished the second practice session in ninth place
The full story
1 min read · 3 outlets
collision during the second practice session at the Mexico City Grand Prix.
The incident occurred at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez when Verstappen attempted to overtake Lawson, leading to a wheel-to-wheel battle.
The contact resulted in damage to Verstappen's bargeboards and Lawson's front wing, causing a red flag to halt the session for debris clearance.
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and stated that both drivers could do better.
How it developed
- Sat 31 Oct, 9:20pmThe stewards officially ruled the collision was unacceptable and noted both drivers admitted their moves were unnecessary and clumsy.
Where reports differ
- Reports differ on the cause of the contact, with one stating Verstappen was forced off track and returned aggressively, while another says Lawson held his ground during a flying lap.
Compiled from reports by Stuff, 1News and RNZ.
