The tension inside the Red Bull family intensified at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix after Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson became involved in a controversial collision during Friday’s second practice session. The incident, which occurred in the stadium section of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, left both drivers frustrated, damaged valuable car components and resulted in grid penalties for the two Formula 1 competitors.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has now delivered his assessment of the incident, describing the collision as unnecessary and admitting that it created additional problems for both teams at an already challenging weekend.
The clash has also attracted attention because of the uncertainty surrounding Lawson’s future in Formula 1, with Racing Bulls yet to finalise its driver line-up for the 2027 season.
LAURENT MEKIES BREAKS SILENCE ON VERSTAPPEN AND LAWSON COLLISION
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 on Saturday, Mekies made it clear that the collision was an incident Red Bull could have done without.
The Frenchman explained that both teams suffered consequences beyond the immediate embarrassment of seeing their drivers collide on track.
According to Mekies, the incident cost the teams valuable running time, resulted in damaged car components and ultimately brought grid penalties for both drivers.
He said:
“I think everything has been said already, it’s a bit unnecessary.
“You don’t really want that to happen because in the end we all lost track time, we lost some parts on the car and obviously now we have lost a grid position. But at some stage you have to put it behind.”
Mekies also admitted that Red Bull was not enjoying the strongest weekend in Mexico and needed to concentrate on improving its performance rather than allowing the controversy to become a distraction.
“We are a bit on the back foot this weekend and I really don’t want to use that as an excuse for it. We’ve got work to do but let’s see now if we’ve got a bit of pace.”
His comments suggest that the team would prefer to move forward quickly, particularly with qualifying and the race still demanding maximum concentration from everyone involved.
HOW MAX VERSTAPPEN AND LIAM LAWSON COLLIDED IN MEXICO
The incident happened during FP2 as Verstappen and Lawson attempted to navigate a series of corners while running alongside each other through the stadium section.
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a challenging circuit, particularly around its stadium complex, where the track becomes narrow and overtaking opportunities can be difficult to judge.
Both drivers found themselves fighting for space, and their cars eventually made contact.
The consequences were significant enough to attract the attention of the stewards, who investigated the incident and handed both drivers one-place grid penalties.
For Verstappen, the situation was particularly frustrating because unnecessary incidents during practice can compromise preparations for the remainder of a Grand Prix weekend.
For Lawson, the collision was equally damaging, especially considering the attention surrounding his position within the Red Bull driver programme.
Neither driver benefited from the confrontation, and the incident created an unwanted distraction for both Red Bull and Racing Bulls.
VERSTAPPEN QUESTIONS LAWSON’S JUDGEMENT AMID 2027 SEAT UNCERTAINTY
One of the most interesting aspects of the controversy was Verstappen’s reaction immediately after the collision.
The four-time world champion reportedly criticised Lawson for what he described as “not very smart behaviour when you’re fighting for your seat”.
The comment was widely interpreted as a reference to the uncertainty surrounding Racing Bulls’ driver line-up for the 2027 Formula 1 season.
Lawson’s future has become an important talking point, and every performance, mistake and on-track incident could potentially influence discussions about the team’s next driver decisions.
Verstappen’s remarks therefore carried additional significance beyond the collision itself.
However, it is important to distinguish between an on-track disagreement and an official decision about a driver’s future.
There is no confirmation that the Mexico incident will determine Lawson’s position for 2027.
Nevertheless, the episode has placed additional attention on the New Zealander at a time when consistency and strong performances are particularly important.
MEKIES SAYS RACING BULLS MUST MAKE ITS OWN DRIVER DECISION
Despite the controversy, Mekies was careful to separate the collision from the ongoing discussions about Racing Bulls’ future driver line-up.
Having previously led Racing Bulls before his promotion to the senior Red Bull team, Mekies understands the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between the two organisations’ responsibilities.
When questioned about the driver decisions facing both teams, he explained that Red Bull Racing had already made its own decision, while Racing Bulls would independently determine its line-up.
He said:
“I think you have to separate both aspects.
“You have something that was very unnecessary on the track and therefore it’s frustrating for the drivers and it’s frustrating for the teams involved. This is probably what you hear with Max’s answer.
“Then there is the driver decisions. The Oracle Red Bull Racing driver decision is made. The one that Racing Bulls will do is down to them and only down to them.”
This statement is important because it reinforces the distinction between the senior Red Bull team and its sister outfit.
Although both operate within the wider Red Bull Formula 1 programme, decisions about Racing Bulls’ driver line-up remain the responsibility of that team.
It also suggests that the organisation does not want the Mexico collision to influence a separate decision that should be based on wider performance considerations.
CAN MAX VERSTAPPEN INFLUENCE LIAM LAWSON’S FUTURE?
Another interesting question following the collision was whether Verstappen could influence Racing Bulls’ decision because of his position and importance within the Red Bull organisation.
The Dutchman is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures in the team, having delivered multiple world championships and established himself as the central figure in Red Bull’s modern Formula 1 success.
However, Mekies dismissed the suggestion that Verstappen could influence the driver selection process through his reaction to a single incident.
When asked whether Verstappen’s opinion could affect Racing Bulls’ decision, Mekies simply answered:
“No.”
He added that Verstappen understands motorsport too well to allow one isolated incident to determine his judgement of another driver.
“Max knows motorsport far too much to be influenced by a single incident anyway.”
This response indicates that Red Bull wants the discussion surrounding Lawson’s future to remain separate from the emotional reactions that naturally follow an on-track collision.
It would also be unfair to judge a driver’s entire Formula 1 campaign based on one controversial moment.
WHY THE MEXICO INCIDENT COULD AFFECT BOTH TEAMS
Although the collision happened during practice rather than the Grand Prix itself, its consequences could extend beyond the immediate grid penalties.
Formula 1 teams operate with extremely detailed preparation programmes, and every practice session is important for understanding tyre behaviour, aerodynamic performance, car balance and race pace.
Losing track time means losing opportunities to collect valuable information.
Damaged components can also create additional work for mechanics and engineers, potentially forcing teams to adjust their weekend plans.
For Red Bull, which Mekies admitted was already on the back foot in Mexico, the incident was particularly unwelcome.
Racing Bulls also had to deal with the consequences, while Lawson faced additional scrutiny because of the uncertainty surrounding his future.
The collision therefore created problems on several levels: sporting, technical and organisational.
OUR VERDICT: RED BULL NEEDS TO PUT THE CONTROVERSY BEHIND IT
The Verstappen-Lawson collision highlights how quickly tensions can develop in Formula 1, even between drivers connected to the same wider organisation.
Both competitors had reasons to be frustrated, but the bigger picture is that neither team benefited from the incident.
Verstappen has the experience and reputation of a four-time world champion, while Lawson is still working to establish himself and secure his long-term position in Formula 1.
That difference in experience and status makes the confrontation particularly interesting.
However, Lawson should not be judged exclusively by this incident. His overall performances, consistency, racecraft and ability to contribute to the team’s development should carry considerably more weight when Racing Bulls evaluates its future options.
Equally, Verstappen’s frustration is understandable from a competitive perspective. A collision involving a sister-team driver is hardly the kind of distraction Red Bull needs during an important Grand Prix weekend.
Mekies’ decision to separate the incident from the driver-selection process is therefore sensible.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOR VERSTAPPEN AND LAWSON?
With the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend continuing, attention will now turn to how both drivers respond to the controversy.
Verstappen will want to recover from the setback and maximise Red Bull’s competitive potential, while Lawson will be eager to demonstrate that the incident does not define his abilities as a Formula 1 driver.
The grid penalties add another complication to their weekend, making qualifying and race execution even more important.
For Racing Bulls, the bigger question remains the 2027 driver line-up. Lawson’s performances will continue to attract attention as the team evaluates its options.
One thing is clear: Laurent Mekies does not want a practice collision to become a bigger internal problem for the Red Bull organisation.
The message from the team principal is straightforward. The incident was unnecessary, both teams have paid a price, and everyone must now concentrate on the racing.
Whether Verstappen and Lawson can put their disagreement behind them without further tension remains something to watch as the Mexico Grand Prix weekend unfolds.
