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Verstappen and Lawson get grid drops after Mexico practice clash

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In short

The collision unfolded 13 minutes into the second practice session when Max Verstappen attempted an inside pass at Turn 12, leading to side-on contact as Liam Lawson held his position through Turn 13. Stewards imposed one-place grid drops and single penalty points on both drivers, citing prior warnings given to team managers earlier this year. The resulting track debris forced an immediate stoppage to the practice session for cleanup. Both drivers later met with officials and acknowledged the clash was unnecessary and clumsy.

Key points

  • Both Red Bull-contracted drivers received grid penalties and a penalty point following th…: Both Red Bull-contracted drivers received grid penalties and a penalty point following the practice collision.
  • Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson agreed before the stewards that the incident was clumsy an…: Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson agreed before the stewards that the incident was clumsy and unneeded.
  • Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane criticized both drivers, stating that the track clash…: Racing Bulls team boss Alan Permane criticized both drivers, stating that the track clash was entirely unnecessary.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

MEXICO CITY, Oct 30 : Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson received one-place grid drops after they collided on track in Friday's Mexico City Grand Prix second practice session.

Both drivers were also given a penalty point each after the two cars hit each other side on.

Stewards heard from both after the session, with the drivers agreeing what had happened was unnecessary and clumsy.

The stewards said in a statement they decided to escalate the penalty from the usual formal warning to a grid position drop because they had warned team managers earlier in the light of similar incidents this year between drivers in practice.

The pair — both contracted to Red Bull, which owns the two teams — went wheel to wheel 13 minutes into the session, with four-time world champion Verstappen diving down the inside of Lawson at Turn 12. The New Zealander held his ground through Turn 13 before they made contact.

The contact scattered debris across the track, with the session halted for it to be cleared.

Lawson and Verstappen were teammates…

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