Tensions boiled over in the Formula 1 paddock as Max Verstappen delivered a scathing assessment of Liam Lawson following a dramatic on-track collision during the second practice session at the 2026 Mexican Grand Prix. The pair came together in the stadium section on Friday, scattering debris across the circuit and triggering a brief red flag period.
The flashpoint occurred when Verstappen lunged down the inside of Lawson at Turn 12, only for the Racing Bulls driver to fight back at the subsequent corner. The Red Bull bounced aggressively over the kerb, resulting in wheel-to-wheel contact as Verstappen rejoined the racing surface. Both drivers were subsequently summoned to the stewards for a post-session investigation.
Asked whether the clash was simply a stroke of bad luck, Verstappen quickly dismissed the notion and pointed toward Lawson's precarious contractual situation. "I don’t think it’s called unlucky," Verstappen stated. "Maybe not very smart behaviour what he was trying to do there. At the end of the day it’s not going to change my weekend. But 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."
Verstappen clarified that he was pushing hard on his out-lap following earlier issues when Lawson unexpectedly accelerated in his path. The contact took an immediate toll on the Dutchman's performance, with telemetry and visual checks revealing damage to a bargeboard that caused a noticeable drop in aerodynamic downforce.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies admitted the unnecessary collision severely hindered their run plan. "Max had a bit of a disturbed session obviously with the contact with Liam. So quite a bit of car damage there, so it’s a bit of a shame because obviously we had to carry on like that with the car," Mekies explained. Meanwhile, Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane labeled the incident as completely unnecessary for a Friday practice session.
When the dust settled on the timing sheets, Verstappen ended the session in fifth place, 0.311s adrift of Ferrari pacesetter Charles Leclerc. Lawson managed ninth overall, 0.628s off the benchmark and two spots behind Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad. FP2 marked Lawson's sole running of the day after Formula 2 standout Nikola Tsolov briefly took over his cockpit during FP1, capping off a dramatic opening day in Mexico City.
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