Liam Lawson disqualified from Mexico City qualifying after practice collision with Verstappen

Liam Lawson was disqualified from qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Saturday and will start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid after an earlier collision with Max Verstappen in Friday’s practice session. The Racing Bulls driver had already been facing a one-place grid penalty for that incident.

Lawson had recorded the eighth-fastest time in qualifying before a technical breach discovered after the session led to his disqualification and relegation to last place. The incident added to a difficult weekend for the 24-year-old, whose future in Formula One beyond the current season remains uncertain. He had apologised to Verstappen before qualifying, acknowledging that the collision was not what he had intended.

"I went to see Max this morning to apologise. Obviously, it was never my intention to make contact," Lawson told reporters before his disqualification. "Ultimately only Max knows how he feels. Like I said, it was never my intention to have contact. So apologies for that," he said. With his situation unsettled, Lawson also told reporters: "Formula One is a tough sport, so I'm trying to do my best. I'm trying to score in every race that I can," he added.

Verstappen, described in reports as the four-time world champion and a former Red Bull teammate of Lawson, had been critical after the practice collision, questioning Lawson's judgement and calling the incident unwise given the New Zealander's uncertain future in the sport. Verstappen was also handed a one-place grid penalty for his part in the collision, dropping from fourth to fifth on the starting grid.

Lewis Hamilton claimed pole position for Ferrari at the Mexico City Grand Prix, setting a lap of one minute 16.514 seconds to secure the 105th pole of his career, edging Mercedes' George Russell by 0.009 seconds while Charles Leclerc qualified third. Verstappen's penalty promoted Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli to fourth on the grid, with the Red Bull driver dropping to fifth. McLaren's Lando Norris qualified sixth, and Oscar Piastri was eliminated in the second qualifying session, finishing 13th.

Lawson's disqualification altered the middle of the grid: Racing Bulls teammate Arvid Lindblad moved up to eighth, Alpine's Pierre Gasly to ninth and Audi's Nico Hulkenberg to 10th. The adjustments followed the penalties applied to both Lawson and Verstappen after practice and qualifying incidents.

Hamilton's pole was his first for Ferrari in a regular Grand Prix qualifying session since joining the team last year, and his first at a Grand Prix since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix with Mercedes. The Mexico City race also carried championship implications, with Antonelli in a position to become Italy's first Formula One world champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953.