The FIA has responded firmly after Mexico’s motorsport federation accused Liam Lawson of being at fault for a dangerous near-miss with marshals during the Mexico City Grand Prix that could have ended very differently, and the governing body has made it clear that Lawson did nothing wrong.
The Scary Moment in Mexico Grand Prix
It all unfolded early in the race when Lawson came into the pits for a new front wing after brushing wheels with Carlos Sainz, but as he rejoined the circuit heading into Turn 1, he suddenly spotted two marshals running across the track to collect debris, and the scene caught him completely off guard.
In a split second, Lawson swerved to avoid them, and his reaction over the team radio said it all: “I could have f*****g killed them,” and the young New Zealander tried to make sense of what had just happened later while speaking to the media.
“I honestly couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” Lawson said. “I boxed, came out on a new set of hards, and then I got to Turn 1 and there were two dudes running across the track. I nearly hit one of them. It was so dangerous. There’s been a miscommunication somewhere. I’ve never experienced that before and I’ve never really seen that in the past. It’s pretty unacceptable.”
The FIA quickly launched an investigation after the incident and said that the marshals had been sent out to clean up debris, but that the instruction was withdrawn when Lawson made his pit stop. However, it seems not everyone got that message in time, which nearly caused a serious accident.
FIA Steps In To Defend Liam Lawson
Mexico’s motorsport federation, OMDAI, released its own version of events a few days later and suggested that Lawson might have been at fault for not slowing down enough under the double yellow flags, but that statement didn’t sit well with the FIA, which decided to set the record straight.
On Friday, the governing body issued its own response and admitted that Lawson did everything correctly, “Having analysed the telemetry from the incident, we can confirm that the driver of Car #30, Liam Lawson, slowed appropriately and reacted correctly to the double yellow flags displayed in the area…. He is not at fault in this incident.”
“We would like to express our sincere thanks to the volunteers and marshals for their professionalism and dedication – without them, our sport could not operate safely,” the statement continued.
The FIA also mentioned that Lawson braked earlier than usual and entered Turn 1 at a much slower speed than during racing conditions, and the officials stressed that while no one was injured, such situations should never happen and must be reviewed carefully to avoid any repetitions in the future.
“As with all serious incidents, the full analysis will take some time, as it involves collecting and reviewing all relevant evidence, including radio communications in multiple languages from the various parties involved, and synchronising all of these diverse inputs,” the FIA added. “The findings will be shared once the review is complete.”
Lawson Still Trying To Make His Mark
Lawson is a young driver from New Zealand currently competing for Racing Bulls and is part of Red Bull’s junior program. He has been trying to build a name for himself on the grid. This season, he’s been fighting to secure a full-time seat amid fierce competition in the Red Bull driver pool.
Meanwhile, the FIA continues to work with the Mexican organizers to review all radio communications and timing data from that moment and has made it clear that safety remains the top priority and that everyone involved is focused on preventing similar incidents in the future.
