Liam Lawson's Strategic Support for Verstappen in Brazil After Mexico Tension

Liam Lawson made a point of communicating his support for Max Verstappen’s comeback during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, a gesture that followed a minor dust-up between them at the previous race in Mexico.

Verstappen launched an impressive drive from 21st on the grid to claim second place at Interlagos, while Lawson also showcased his skill by finishing seventh amid the challenging weather conditions.

Lawson's Role in Verstappen's Charge

Lawson started from third on the grid after benefiting from several grid penalties and quickly climbed to second after passing McLaren’s Lando Norris at the start. However, as the track began to dry, Lawson found himself under pressure from the cars behind, with Verstappen rapidly closing in by the ninth lap.

By lap 11, Lawson, experiencing graining on his intermediate tires, slowed down on the Reta Oposto to allow Verstappen to overtake. Over the radio, Lawson informed his race engineer, Alexandre Iliopoulos, that the decision to let Verstappen through was his own.

"The car behind is now Max," Lawson was informed on Lap 9 after Verstappen had overtaken Nico Hulkenberg's Audi. When asked for feedback on the car's balance, Lawson replied, "It’s just graining, so I have no fronts, and the traction is really, really bad."

After considering whether to push through the graining phase until switching to slicks, Lawson was advised to stay the course. Once he let Verstappen past, Lawson confirmed, "Yep, I let him go," before being warned that Oscar Piastri was closing in behind him.

This cooperation between Lawson and Verstappen occurred after a practice session incident in Mexico City, where Lawson's refusal to yield track position resulted in contact between the two. This led to an investigation and a one-place grid penalty for both drivers.

Verstappen had expressed his displeasure, criticizing Lawson's actions as "not very smart behaviour," especially considering Lawson’s uncertain F1 future at the time.

However, any concerns about Lawson's position were put to rest when Racing Bulls confirmed that he will continue racing for the team in 2027 alongside Arvid Lindblad. Lawson, who has been instrumental in helping the team reach a potential fifth-place finish, expressed gratitude for the support he’s received.

"Yeah, I appreciate all the support I’ve seen over the last few weeks," Lawson remarked in Brazil. "I’m just trying to enjoy driving the car because with everything else going on, I don’t really know what else I’m meant to do. I don’t know what else I’m meant to say to you. So at the moment, I’m just going to keep driving and, yeah, see what happens."