FIA Clears Lawson of Blame Over Near-Miss with Marshals in Mexico City Grand Prix

The FIA has officially cleared Liam Lawson of any wrongdoing following its investigation into a frightening incident during the Mexico City Grand Prix, in which the Racing Bulls driver narrowly avoided hitting two marshals who ran across the track.

The near-miss occurred early in the race after Lawson pitted to replace a damaged front wing following contact on the opening lap. At the time, debris from the incident remained on the circuit near Turn 1, and marshals had been instructed to clear it once all cars had passed through the corner.

However, when race control realised Lawson was rejoining the track and would soon approach the area, the order to send marshals onto the circuit was rescinded. Despite that, two marshals were seen sprinting across the track just as Lawson rounded the corner forcing the New Zealander to take evasive action.

Startled, Lawson exclaimed over team radio:

“Mate, what the f? Oh my god, are you kidding me? Oh my god, mate. I could have fing killed them, mate.”

OMDAI Blames Lawson

Following the race, Mexico’s motorsport governing body OMDAI launched its own investigation and controversially suggested Lawson was at fault for the incident.

In a statement, OMDAI claimed the Racing Bulls driver had been informed about debris and double yellow flags in the area and should have slowed more dramatically:

“The Racing Bulls team informed the driver that there was debris on the track and that this section was under a double yellow flag, so that he should take extreme precautions when driving through the area,” the statement read.

“At that moment, the driver had to significantly reduce his speed, refrain from overtaking, and be prepared to stop if necessary, in compliance with current safety regulations. The images clearly show that driver Liam Lawson maintains the steering wheel angle of his car when taking Turn 1… The driver did not interrupt his line despite the obvious presence of marshals on the track.”

FIA: Lawson “Reacted Correctly”

The FIA has now rejected OMDAI’s conclusion, issuing its own statement confirming that Lawson acted appropriately and was not at fault.

“Having analysed the telemetry from the incident, we can confirm that the driver of Car 30, Liam Lawson, slowed appropriately and reacted correctly to the double yellow flags displayed in the area,” the FIA said.

“He braked earlier than in other laps and passed significantly slower than racing speed into Turn 1. He is not at fault in this incident.”

The FIA’s findings effectively absolve Lawson of responsibility and place renewed scrutiny on the communication breakdown between race control and local marshals that led to the dangerous situation.

The governing body is expected to continue reviewing its track safety protocols with the Mexican Grand Prix organisers to ensure such an incident cannot happen again.

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