The second race of Liam Lawson’s F1 comeback was a controversial one, as the Kiwi got his elbows out and tangled with Sergio Perez. As tempers flared between the two drivers, Lawson gave Perez the middle finger on the start/finish straight. This behaviour did not go well with the Red Bull hierarchy.
Red Bull unhappy with Liam Lawson conduct
The Mexican GP was an opportunity for Liam Lawson to improve his chances of earning a 2025 Red Bull seat.
A poor qualifying from Sergio Perez and first-lap crash for Yuki Tsunoda put the Kiwi in a good position to leave Mexico City as one of Red Bull’s stronger performers.
Initially, Lawson was in contention to score points for a second consecutive weekend.
However, the 22-year-old’s race soon took a turn for the worse. Several laps after his messy battle with Sergio Perez, Lawson waved his middle finger to the Mexican driver on the main straight.
This gesture was not received well at Red Bull, with Helmut Marko expressing his disappointment in Lawson’s behaviour.
After the dust settled post-race, the Kiwi admitted his conduct was incorrect:
“It’s obviously one of those in the moment things,” he told the media in Mexico.
“That you know he spent half the lap blocking me, trying to ruin my race. So I was upset.
“But it’s not an excuse. I shouldn’t have done it, and I have now apologised for that.
“I don’t think that’s what Helmut [Marko] likes. It’s not my character, not something I should have done.”
Lawson was also spotted in conversation with team principal Christian Horner after the chequered flag. By all indications, Horner’s feedback was far from positive.
To be clear, one incident is not enough to end Lawson’s chances of joining Red Bull. The defending champions still recognise his potential – especially in the context of Perez’s persistent struggles.
Still, being reprimanded for unsportsmanlike conduct is certainly not doing the 22-year-old’s F1 chances any good.
