Red Bull F1 boss shares thoughts on the ‘unnecessary’ clash between Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson

Red Bull F1 boss shares thoughts on the ‘unnecessary’ clash between Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson

Red Bull F1 boss Laurent Mekies has shared his thoughts on the collision between Max Verstappen and Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson during Friday’s practice session in Mexico.

The clash caused damage to both cars and brought the session to a halt, with debris scattered across the track. Both drivers were upset and blamed each other, and now Mekies has given his opinion.

During Mexico’s Free Practice 1, Verstappen was trying to find space for a clear lap and made an aggressive move to pass his Red Bull junior teammate, Liam Lawson. But Lawson, known for his strong driving, didn’t back down, and they ended up touching.

Afterwards, both drivers criticized each other. The stewards stepped in and handed each of them a one-place grid penalty for “clumsy” driving.

Before qualifying, Mekies was asked what he thought about the incident. He said, “It was a bit unnecessary. We all lost track time, and we lost some car parts. Plus, now we’re down a grid spot. But we have to move on. We’re behind this weekend, and I don’t want to use this as an excuse. We still have work to do, so let’s see if we can find some speed.”

In a post-practice interview, Verstappen hinted that Lawson’s place at Racing Bulls next year might be at risk. Mekies also addressed this, saying, “You have to separate the two things. The crash was unnecessary and frustrating for everyone. That’s probably what Max was talking about. But decisions about drivers are up to Racing Bulls alone.”

After the incident, Verstappen wasn’t holding back. He said, “It won’t change my weekend, but if I were him, I’d be smarter. When you’re fighting for your seat, you can’t behave like that. He saw me coming and then suddenly sped up. I don’t know why he tried to push me off the track at the hairpin. That’s not smart for someone in his position.”

Lawson shared his side on team radio, saying, “He literally drove into me. If I step back every time, what am I supposed to do? He actually went off track and hit the side of me.”