LAWSON APOLOGIZES TO PEREZ FOR GESTURING MIDDLE FINGER
Liam Lawson apologized to Sergio Perez for showing him the middle finger during the intense battles in the Mexico Grand Prix.
In the 19th lap of the race, Lawson was pushed off the track by Perez, who was attempting to overtake him in his Red Bull car. Following this, the two collided in the next corner.
Perez’s car sustained damage to the floor edge and sidepod, which, according to the team’s calculations, cost him approximately 65 points of downforce.
While continuing the race, Lawson expressed his frustration by gesturing the middle finger at Perez as he overtook him on the main straight, a moment that was captured by television cameras.
Reflecting on his actions, Lawson acknowledged that it was an impulsive reaction to anger, but admitted that he should not have done something like that.
Lawson stated, “These are certainly things done in the heat of the moment. He spent half the lap blocking me and trying to ruin my race, so I got angry. But that’s no excuse; it was something I shouldn’t have done, and I apologize for it.”
Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, expressed his disapproval of Lawson’s aggressive behavior and his gesture towards Perez. Marko commented to ORF, “It was an unnecessary collision, and I think Lawson was more at fault in this.”
When asked whether it was good that Lawson at least fought back, Marko replied, “If it were someone else, yes. But it’s not nice when it’s someone from the sister team.”
Lawson acknowledged that the situation unfolded in an undesirable way: “I don’t think Helmut will be pleased with this. It’s not in line with my character; it’s something that shouldn’t have happened.”
Perez, placing the blame for the collisions entirely on Lawson, expressed that he believed the RB driver could have easily avoided the accident. In response, Lawson argued that Perez did not give him enough space, stating, “I left him room in the fourth corner, but he pushed me off the track. He didn’t leave me any space in the next corner either. The tension is unfortunate, but I don’t know where he expects me to go.”
