New Zealander Liam Lawson thanked the FIA after they apologized for the misunderstanding that occurred during the Mexico Grand Prix, when he encountered two marshals on track. Lawson explained that the marshals “had been authorized to enter the track and then recalled to their post shortly after. But for some reason, they hadn’t received the second message.”
Recently, Liam Lawson’s Thursday press conferences have often focused on his future in F1. However, at the Brazilian GP, there was an exception. Regarding 2026, he received only one question, to which he replied, “I believe decisions about the future will come toward the end of the season.” The remainder of the press session focused on the Mexico incident.
After returning to the track following a pit stop to replace his front wing, Liam Lawson approached Turn 1 and unexpectedly found two marshals standing on the racing line.
The FIA immediately launched an investigation and apologized to Lawson that very evening. “I really appreciated that,” Liam Lawson confirmed. “I understand that in our sport there are many variables, and incidents like what happened at Turn 1, which should never occur, show that there is always a margin for error. The most important thing is that measures are taken to ensure nothing like this happens again in the future.”
Investigations and the cause of the misunderstanding
The results of the FIA investigation have not yet been made public, but Liam Lawson suggested what may have caused the miscommunication. “We will have more details later,” he said, “but as I understand it, the marshals were authorized to enter the track and then recalled shortly after. For some reason, they didn’t receive the second message.”
The New Zealand driver was surprised by a parallel investigation conducted by OMDAI Sport Mexico (the Mexican ASN), which attributed responsibility to him, claiming he had not slowed sufficiently under double yellow flags. This verdict contradicted the FIA’s conclusion, which immediately cleared Lawson and apologized for the incident.
“I was very surprised,” Lawson commented regarding the Mexican ASN decision. “I believe the FIA’s statement was clear and accurate; I don’t need to add anything beyond what the International Federation has already stated.”
“They examined all the elements that led to that situation. I tried to make as few steering adjustments as possible to avoid alarming the two marshals and focused only on ensuring their safety. That’s why I was very surprised by the conclusions of the Mexican federation.”
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