In a dramatic turn of events at the Mexican Grand Prix, officials have taken decisive action following a hazardous incident that nearly endangered the safety of New Zealand F1 driver Liam Lawson and track marshals. The incident unfolded when marshals were caught unexpectedly on the track as Lawson approached, prompting a hurried escape.
Liam Lawson, a driver who recently parted ways with Red Bull after just two races this season, faced a challenging outing in North America. His race ended prematurely due to a collision at the first corner, which also involved fellow driver Alex Albon.
The collision resulted in a damaged front wing for Lawson, compelling him to make an unscheduled pit stop and consequently relegating him to the back of the pack. As he navigated his way through the field, he encountered a startling scene: two marshals were dashing across the track to clear debris amid a yellow flag period.
The alarming situation elicited a candid and emotional response from Lawson over the team radio. Clearly shaken, he exclaimed, “Wait, the f***? Oh my God, are you kidding me? Did you just see that?” His concern was palpable as he further expressed, “I could’ve f***ing killed him, mate.”
This incident has prompted a swift review by the Mexican F1 authorities, bringing to light the critical need for stringent safety measures to protect both drivers and track personnel during races.
He added: ‘I could’ve f***ing killed him mate.’
New Zealand F1 driver has been blamed by Mexican officials for a near miss involving marshals
Lawson’s onboard camera showed the marshals scurrying off the track as he turned the corner
However The FIA’s Mexican body has blamed Liam Lawson for the near-miss with marshals on his alleged failure to properly slow down under a double yellow flag.
‘When analysing the sequence from the camera onboard the car, it can be seen that driver Liam Lawson, as he approaches Turn 1, begins to turn to take the racing line, at which point the presence of the track marshals is clearly visible as they carry out their intervention procedures to collect the pieces that had been left behind as a result of the previous contact,’ the statement reads.
‘The proximity of the car to the work area shows that the track marshals were still active within the risky area, performing cleaning and safety tasks on the circuit.
‘The images clearly show that driver Liam Lawson maintains the steering wheel angle of his car when taking Turn 1, without changing his trajectory, even though the track marshals were crossing the track to return to their post.
‘This action occurs while personnel were still working in the area, which shows that the driver did not Interrupt his line despite the obvious presence of marshals on the track.’
Lawson said the incident had given him ‘quite a fright’ in the aftermath of his early exit from the Mexico GP.
‘I honestly couldn’t believe what I was seeing,’ the New Zealander said. ‘I got to Turn 1 and there were two dudes just running across the track. And I nearly hit one of them. Honestly, it was so dangerous,’ he said.
‘Obviously, there’s been a miscommunication somewhere, but I’ve never experienced that before, I’ve only seen that in the past. It’s pretty unacceptable.
It caps off a miserable Mexico GP for the Kiwi who crashed out at the beginning of the race
‘We obviously can’t understand how, on a live track, marshals can be allowed to just run across the track like that. I mean, I have no idea why, but I’m sure we’ll get some explanation.’
Despite Lawson finding himself back in the pits before the end of the race, Lando Norris found himself at the top of the drivers’ world championship standings after taking victory in Mexico.
The Brit is now just one point ahead of team-mate and rival Oscar Piastri, who finished fifth. Max Verstappen is a further 35 points back.
Norris, who was booed by large sections of the crowd, said after the race: ‘It’s one weekend at a time. So, you know, I’m happy. I’m focused on myself. I keep my head down, I ignore all of this, and, yeah, I keep to myself, and it’s working at the minute. So I’m happy.’
‘I love it, thank you guys. What a race, I could just keep my eyes forward and focus on what I was doing.
‘A pretty straightforward race for me which is just what I was after. A good start, a good launch and a good first lap, and I could go from there.’
