MAX VERSTAPPEN, LIAM LAWSON HANDED F1 MEXICO GP GRID PENALTIES AFTER PRACTICE CLASH

Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson will each drop one place on Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix grid after making contact during Friday's second practice. Verstappen attempted a pass on the Racing Bulls driver approaching Turn 12, and the two went wheel-to-wheel through the stadium section before touching at Turn 14. The contact damaged Verstappen's bargeboards, compromising his session.

The four-time champion didn't hide his frustration, saying it was "not very smart behavior" for Lawson to "pick a fight" with him. Both drivers admitted to stewards the moves were "unnecessary and clumsy." The FIA escalated beyond a warning specifically because team managers had been briefed on this behavior earlier that day. Each driver also collected a superlicence penalty point.

Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane called it a storm in a teacup—drivers pushing on out-laps to get temperature into their tyres. The upshot: both Red Bull-family cars forfeit track position Sunday for a practice-session scrap nobody needed.