A piece of debris skittered across the asphalt at Turn 14 of the Mexican Grand Prix circuit, the visible casualty of a collision between Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson.
What began as a routine second free practice session quickly escalated, casting a shadow over the Racing Bulls driver’s bid for a 2027 seat and drawing sharp condemnation from former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert.
The friction stemmed from Verstappen’s attempt to overtake Lawson at Turn 12, an aggressive maneuver that ultimately forced a red flag. In the immediate aftermath, the four-time world champion publicly rebuked the 24-year-old New Zealander, suggesting Lawson should act “a little smarter” given the stakes of his current campaign. Verstappen dismissed the incident as “not very smart behaviour.”
Herbert, speaking to Vision4Sport, took issue with the tone of those remarks, characterizing them as a threat to Lawson’s professional future.
“Max was totally out of order with those threats [to Lawson]. It was the ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ side of Max,” said Johnny Herbert.
Totally and utterly out of order… especially against Lawson who is fighting for his career and doing a bloody good job. Johnny Herbert
While Herbert acknowledged the “stunning drive“Verstappen is capable of delivering, he labeled the public criticism during a free practice session as”ridiculous.”
Verstappen, however, remains unmoved by the critique.
“Do I understand why he says that? I don’t know,” said Max Verstappen to Formule1.nl.
“Actually, it doesn’t bother me at all. What do I care?” said Max Verstappen.
The Red Bull driver insisted that the tension has since been defused through private dialogue. According to Verstappen, the two have cleared the air regarding the expectations and rules governing their on-track conduct.
Everything [with Lawson] has simply been discussed properly. So I’ll leave it at that. I think that, in general, it is reasonably clear where things stand and what the rules are. Ultimately, I think it is also good for him to realise it. Max Verstappen
The internal team dynamics were brought into sharp relief at the subsequent Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Verstappen, hampered by a grid penalty for exceeding his engine, turbocharger, and exhaust quota, fought his way up from the back of the pack. Lawson, who had qualified third, ceded position to the championship leader during the race.