Verstappen and Lawson Get One-Place Grid Penalties After Mexico Practice Clash

Mexico City Grand Prix stewards have given Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson one-place grid penalties following an incident during second practice on October 30. Each driver also received one penalty point. The grid drops apply to the next race in which each competes, while the decisions bring Verstappen's penalty-point total over the previous twelve months to one and Lawson's to four. The stewards reviewed a sequence of moves from the entry to Turn 12 through the apex of Turn 14 at 16:22 local time. Verstappen, driving for Oracle Red Bull Racing, was on a preparation lap. Lawson, representing Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, was cooling down before another push lap. The officials heard both drivers and team representatives and examined video evidence before issuing their findings later that evening. The stewards wrote: “Both drivers admitted the moves were unnecessary and ‘clumsy’.” They judged the conduct unacceptable, particularly because team managers had already received a warning earlier that day. Their decisions said similar incidents had occurred during practice sessions this year and explained that the penalty was being escalated from a formal warning to a grid-position drop. The stewards also cited comparable contact incidents in previous years when explaining the sanction. The two decisions impose the same grid and penalty-point punishments on the drivers.