The Mexican Grand Prix took an unexpected twist when a tense battle between rookie Liam Lawson and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez on lap 19 resulted in a collision, damaging Perez’s car and further derailing his already challenging race. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has now pointed fingers at Lawson for being overly aggressive, stressing that the young driver should have shown more respect toward Perez, a veteran with the main team.
On lap 19, Perez made a bold attempt to overtake Lawson on the inside, but the two collided, inflicting heavy damage on Perez’s car and compromising his home race. Marko was quick to acknowledge that while both drivers were competing hard, Lawson should have exercised more caution. “Checo is a driver for the main team and deserves a certain level of respect,” Marko asserted, suggesting that Lawson’s aggressive defense was out of place in this particular intra-team scenario.
Marko emphasized that while he supports Lawson’s assertive racing style in general, he didn’t expect it to come at the cost of a Red Bull Racing driver’s performance. “I have no problem with Liam fighting for positions, but not against the sister team,” Marko clarified.
The incident has raised questions about Lawson’s track demeanor, especially after his previous gestures toward Perez in Mexico. Perez, who understands the ambition that comes with a rookie’s arrival in F1, acknowledged Lawson’s drive but highlighted the importance of humility. “When you come to Formula 1, you’re obviously very hungry, but you also have to be respectful both off and on the track,” Perez advised.
Rumors continue to swirl about Lawson being a leading candidate to replace Perez at Red Bull, with Yuki Tsunoda also in contention. With four races remaining, the competition for the Red Bull seat has only intensified, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the final decision on who will partner alongside Max Verstappen in 2025.
