Liam Lawson Presses for Penalty Against Leclerc in Brazilian GP Radio Exchange
Liam Lawson's untelevised team radio from the Brazilian Grand Prix reveals his insistence on a penalty for Charles Leclerc after a collision. The FIA ultimately agreed, penalizing Leclerc and promoting Lawson to seventh place.
In a behind-the-scenes moment from the Brazilian Grand Prix, untelevised team radio captured Liam Lawson's call for the FIA to penalize Charles Leclerc after an on-track collision. Lawson, who finished eighth initially, found himself embroiled in a late-race incident when Leclerc clipped his car at Juncao corner, affecting Lawson's momentum. Despite Leclerc crossing the line in seventh, the stewards later handed him a five-second penalty, bumping Lawson up to seventh in the final results.
The radio exchange between Lawson and his race engineer, Alexandre Iliopoulos, highlighted their frustration and hope for a penalty. Lawson remarked, "I mean, I stayed within five seconds. He’s got to get done for it," to which Iliopoulos responded with assurance that Leclerc would be investigated. The penalty solidified Lawson's 15th points finish in 20 races, aiding Racing Bulls in their pursuit of a strong constructors' championship standing, now 45 points ahead of Alpine in fifth place.
Reflecting on the incident, Lawson compared Leclerc's move to a similar one involving Alex Albon during the 2017 Formula 2 finale in Abu Dhabi. "I feel like it was exactly like his GP2 move in Abu Dhabi on Albon years ago," Lawson noted, suggesting that such maneuvers might be Leclerc's specialty. Despite the drama, Lawson was grateful to avoid a puncture and considered it a good battle.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris, who won the Brazilian Grand Prix, offered a different perspective during an online stream, questioning the penalty by describing Leclerc's move as a "perfectly placed nudge."