Racing Bulls driver faces a massive setback as a technical infringement and an earlier clash with Max Verstappen derail his Mexican Grand Prix weekend.
Liam Lawson’s hopes of a strong result at the Mexico City Grand Prix were dealt a major blow when the Racing Bulls driver was disqualified from qualifying for a technical breach, capping an extremely difficult weekend for the young New Zealander.
The 24-year-old had initially impressed by posting the eighth-fastest time in Saturday’s qualifying session. However, race officials later excluded him from the results after discovering a rules infringement on his car. The decision means Lawson will start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid, turning a promising qualifying performance into a frustrating setback.
The disqualification came just a day after Lawson was penalised for colliding with Max Verstappen in a practice session. The incident had already earned him a one-place grid penalty, making his race more challenging even before the technical issue arose.
Recognising the significance of the clash, Lawson approached Verstappen before qualifying to apologise. The Racing Bulls driver said the contact was accidental, not intentional. He admitted the mistake was disappointing for both drivers and acknowledged that valuable lessons could be learned from the incident.
Verstappen, however, was less forgiving in his assessment. The four-time world champion criticised Lawson’s judgement following the collision and suggested that such errors can be costly, particularly for a driver whose long-term future in Formula One remains uncertain. The Dutchman was also penalised for the incident, receiving a one-place grid drop that moved him from fourth to fifth on the starting order.
Despite the setbacks, Lawson maintained a positive outlook, insisting that his focus remains on delivering strong performances in every opportunity he gets. With his future beyond the current season still unclear, each race weekend carries extra importance as he looks to prove his credentials on the sport’s biggest stage.
While Lawson endured disappointment, Lewis Hamilton delivered one of the weekend’s standout moments. Driving for Ferrari, the seven-time world champion secured pole position with a stunning lap, narrowly edging Mercedes driver George Russell. Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc finished third, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli benefited from Verstappen’s penalty to climb the grid.
Lawson’s exclusion also promoted several drivers up the order. Nonetheless, the spotlight remains firmly on the Racing Bulls driver, who now faces the daunting task of fighting through the field to salvage points from what has become a nightmare weekend in Mexico City.
