F1: Liam Lawson’s weekend goes from bad to worse after collision with Max Verstappen

Liam Lawson’s Formula 1 weekend went from bad to worse after the Racing Bulls driver was disqualified from qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Saturday, sending him to the back of the grid following an earlier collision with Max Verstappen in practice.

Lawson qualified eighth fastest but was already facing a one-place grid penalty for Friday’s collision with the four-time world champion. A technical fault discovered after qualifying meant the New Zealander will now start Sunday’s race from last place.

The incident added to a difficult weekend for the 24-year-old, whose future in Formula 1 beyond the current season remains uncertain. Lawson also apologized to Verstappen before qualifying, admitting the collision was not what he intended.

“I went to see Max this morning to apologise. Obviously I never intended to make contact,” Lawson told reporters before the disqualification.

“Obviously it’s not good for either of us, so yeah, I’ll learn from it going forward.

Verstappen criticized his former Red Bull team-mate after their collision during practice on Friday, questioning Lawson’s judgment and suggesting the incident was particularly unwise given the New Zealander’s uncertain future in the sport.

Verstappen was also penalized one grid place for his part in the collision, dropping from fourth to fifth on the grid.

Lawson claimed he had no intention of making contact with the Dutchman and said he apologized to ensure the incident did not happen again.

“At the end of the day, only Max knows how he feels. Like I said, I never intended to reach out. So I’m sorry for that,” he said.

With his future still up in the air after the current season, Lawson said he was focused on making the most of his remaining opportunities in Formula 1.

“Formula 1 is a tough sport, so I try to do my best. I try to score points in every race I can,” he added.

HAMILTON TAKES THE FIELD IN MEXICO

Lewis Hamilton, out of Lawson’s trouble, took pole for Ferrari at the Mexico City Grand Prix, setting a lap of one minute 16.514 seconds to secure the 105th pole position of his career.

The seven-time world champion edged out Mercedes’ George Russell by just 0.009 seconds, while Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc qualified third. Verstappen’s penalty promoted Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli to fourth on the grid, with the Red Bull driver dropping to fifth.

McLaren’s Lando Norris qualified sixth, while team-mate Oscar Piastri suffered defeat after crashing out in the second qualifying session to finish thirteenth.

Lawson’s disqualification meant Racing Bulls team-mate Arvid Lindblad moved up to eighth on the grid, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly ninth and Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg tenth.

Hamilton’s pole position was his first for Ferrari in regular Grand Prix qualifying since joining the team last year and his first in a Grand Prix since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix with Mercedes.

The Mexico City race also had significant implications for the championship, with Antonelli able to become the first Italian Formula One World Champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

– The end