The OMDAI, which represents the FIA in Mexico and North America, has issued a statement regarding the incident during the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix, when Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls narrowly avoided two marshals in the opening stages of the race.
The official post-race analysis of the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix determined that Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson did not respect the double yellow flags shown at Turn 1, where marshals were cleaning the track immediately after the contact between his car and the Williams of Carlos Sainz on the opening lap.
According to the report published by OMDAI, the FIA’s representative for North America and the Caribbean, “following the contact between the Williams (Carlos Sainz) and the Racing Bulls (Liam Lawson) on the approach to Turn 1, several parts were detached from both cars and scattered on the track, requiring the intervention of marshals to remove the debris and ensure safety for the rest of the field.”
During this clean-up phase, the New Zealand driver returned to the pits to repair the damage to his car. Upon rejoining the track, “he encountered panel 3 displaying the message ‘double yellow flag’. The team informed the driver via radio, and the marshal post was also waving a physical double yellow flag, indicating danger and the presence of personnel working on track.”
According to Appendix H, Article 2.5.5 of the FIA International Sporting Code, the “double yellow flag” signal requires the driver to “significantly reduce speed and be prepared to change direction or stop,” as there is “a hazard wholly or partly blocking the track and/or marshals working on or near the circuit.”
The Racing Bulls team had also warned the driver that “there was debris on the track and that the section was under double yellow flag conditions, meaning he should proceed with maximum caution through that sector.” However, onboard footage analysis showed that Lawson “kept his steering wheel steady at the entry to Turn 1, without altering his line, even as marshals were crossing the track to return to their posts.”
The report emphasizes that this behavior “demonstrates that the driver did not modify his trajectory despite the visible presence of marshals on track,” constituting a breach of the current safety procedure.
Although a green flag was already displayed at the following panel, located at Turn 2, the previous section “was still to be considered a danger zone until Liam Lawson’s car had passed the green flag.”
Based on this evidence, the authority concluded that the driver failed to comply with the required speed reduction under double yellow flag conditions, creating a safety issue that could have endangered track personnel. The FIA’s central department confirmed during the weekend that an investigation into the incident had been launched, although no further communication has yet been released.
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