The dramatic flashpoint between Liam Lawson and Max Verstappen during the second practice session has been officially resolved as the Racing Bulls driver sought out his former teammate on Saturday morning to offer a sincere apology. Both drivers were handed a one-place grid penalty and a penalty point by the stewards following their high-profile collision in the stadium section of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
"I went to see Max this morning to apologise because obviously what happened yesterday doesn’t need to happen," Lawson told Sky Sports F1. "I don’t want to have that happen in the future. And obviously right now it’s not the best time." The incident occurred when Verstappen attempted an overtake on Friday afternoon, resulting in car damage and a flurry of debris that brought out an immediate red flag session. Although Verstappen openly criticised Lawson’s judgment and referenced the Kiwi's ongoing battle to secure his seat, both drivers confirmed that clear-the-air talks successfully smoothed over the tension.
On the track, Lawson delivered a resilient qualifying performance to reach Q3 for the 10th time this season, securing eighth place before dropping to ninth on the starting grid due to his pending penalty. He took plenty of encouragement from outperforming direct midfield rivals, noting that leading the pack remains a strong positive indicator for the team's race pace.
Meanwhile, teammate Arvid Lindblad claimed his 13th Q3 appearance of the campaign and will inherit eighth place on the grid following Lawson's penalty drop. Despite comfortably beating Alpine drivers Pierre Gasly in tenth and Franco Colapinto in twelfth as both squads battle intensely for fifth in the constructors' standings, Lindblad expressed personal frustration over his execution in the latter segment of qualifying, admitting he failed to drive at his absolute best.
Looking ahead to Sunday's grand prix, both Racing Bulls chargers remain upbeat about their prospects of converting their grid positions into crucial championship points. With the machinery performing strongly relative to direct competitors, Lawson opted to brush aside contract speculation to concentrate fully on the lights-out moment, declaring his utter excitement for the main event.
Baca Juga
Max Verstappen damai dengan Liam Lawson usai insiden FP2 GP Meksiko. Simak analisis lengkap, update penalti grid, dan dinamika internal Red Bull.
Charles Leclerc sebut aksi salip bakal sulit di GP Meksiko. Simak analisis mendalam, update poin, dan jadwal akhir pekan ini selengkapnya.
Oscar Piastri alami kualifikasi terburuk dalam dua tahun usai tersingkir di Q2 GP Meksiko. Simak analisis mendalam dan ulasan lengkap di sini.
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