Among the highlights of Friday’s Formula 1 practice sessions was a notable event that occurred in Foro Sol, frequently referred to as the stadium section of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
During the second session of the day, Max Verstappen attempted to overtake Liam Lawson as they approached Turn 12, but Lawson defended his position, resulting in both drivers racing side by side into the stadium area.
Verstappen found himself on the outer line of Turn 13, feeling that his former teammate had forced him off the track. He then collided with the kerbs at Turn 14, which led to contact between the two Red Bull cars.
The crash resulted in damage to Verstappen’s bargeboards, which he had to contend with for the remainder of the practice time, negatively affecting his performance.
Subsequently, the four-time world champion expressed his frustrations in the media center. When asked by Autosport for his viewpoint, Verstappen remarked that he was puzzled about “what was going through Liam’s mind” and stated: “To me, it’s just not very intelligent behavior for him to pick a fight with me in his situation.”
Alan Permane, principal of Racing Bulls, referred to the incident as a minor issue, attributing it partly to the unique challenges posed by the Mexican circuit and the demands of getting the tires into the optimal operating range.
“When you’re on a lap here, whether it’s an out lap or a cool-down lap, the last sector speed is crucial. This ensures that you have good tire performance for Turn 1. If this isn’t achieved, it could result in front locking and similar issues. Both were aiming for that, and in one word, it’s just unnecessary,” he commented.
Stewards impose harsher penalties after previous warnings
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images
After fulfilling their media responsibilities, both Verstappen and Lawson were required to meet with the FIA stewards, who ultimately issued one-place grid penalties for both drivers for the upcoming race on Sunday, along with a penalty point on their superlicences— a decision that took hours of deliberation.
“As they approached Turn 12, car 3 was executing a preparation lap while car 30 was performing a cool-down lap in readiness for another push lap,” the FIA documentation states.
“The conduct of both drivers was deemed unacceptable by the Stewards, especially considering the cautionary notice provided during the earlier Team Managers meeting that day.
“The drivers acknowledged that their actions were unnecessary and ‘clumsy’. Recognizing there had been comparable incidents this year involving driver conduct during Free Practice, the Stewards opted to elevate the penalty from a formal warning to a grid position penalty, particularly in light of the previous warning given at the Team Managers meeting and consistent with protocols from past incidents of contact during Free Practice.”
With the stewards intent on delivering a clear message following earlier warnings, both Red Bull teams have experienced setbacks due to an event that Permane characterized as wholly needless.
“I’m certain both drivers have their perspectives on it. I believe that once they reflect on it, they’ll realize that they could have approached it more effectively,” the Racing Bulls team principal commented to Motorsport.com.
“There’s no indication that anyone was trying to initiate conflict, that’s for sure. I consider it just one of those occurrences. And as I’ve stated: unnecessary.”
We want to hear from you!
Let us know what you would like to see from us in the future.
Take our survey
– The Autosport.com Team
