Liam Lawson disqualified from Mexico GP qualifying after penalty for Max Verstappen incident

November 1, 2026

Liam Lawson’s Mexican Grand Prix weekend took a dramatic turn after stewards disqualified him from qualifying, handing him a back-of-the-grid start for Sunday’s race. The Racing Bulls driver had initially secured eighth place on the grid, only to face a one-place penalty for a collision with Max Verstappen during second practice on Friday.

Despite this setback, Lawson’s hopes of a strong qualifying run were dashed when his car failed to meet technical regulations during his in-lap in Q2. The issue involved the MGU-K’s power demand reduction rate, a rule violation that triggered disqualification—even though the team insisted no performance benefit was gained.

Lawson’s team confirmed the decision in a statement, acknowledging the breach and accepting the penalty without further appeal. The ruling leaves him starting last on the grid, a stark contrast to his earlier qualifying position ahead of teammate Arvid Lindblad.