Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez expressed his frustration with the FIA after a controversial incident at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where he clashed with Liam Lawson, who faced no penalties for the altercation.
Perez’s weekend got off to a rocky start, qualifying in 18th position—his worst since joining Red Bull in 2021—due to braking issues with his RB20. Compounding his difficulties, he received a five-second penalty at the race’s outset for improper grid positioning.
The incident in question occurred on Lap 11 while Perez was attempting to overtake Lawson for 10th position. Lawson pushed him off the track, causing significant damage to Perez’s car.
In a post-race interview, he shared his thoughts:
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
“We started strong, and despite my penalty, I believed we could score points. I had the position at Turn 5—Lawson was off the track—and I didn’t expect him to continue straight. He damaged the side of my car without receiving a penalty.”
Perez highlighted a pattern, noting Lawson’s similar incidents with other drivers, like Fernando Alonso and Franco Colapinto, without repercussions, suggesting a bias in the application of penalties.
“I told him we ruined each other’s races—there was no need to collide at that stage,” Perez added, reflecting his disappointment with the situation.
Although Perez has a two-year contract with Red Bull, doubts linger over his future, especially with Lawson’s rising star status, potentially eyeing a seat in 2025.
2024 Mexican Grand Prix Results
1. Carlos Sainz
2. Lando Norris
3. Charles Leclerc – Fastest Lap
4. Lewis Hamilton
5. George Russell
6. Max Verstappen
7. Kevin Magnussen
8. Oscar Piastri
9. Nico Hulkenberg
10. Pierre Gasly
11. Lance Stroll
12. Franco Colapinto
13. Esteban Ocon
14. Valtteri Bottas
15. Zhou Guanyu
16. Liam Lawson
17. Sergio Perez
18. Fernando Alonso – DNF
19. Alex Albon – DNF
20. Yuki Tsunoda – DNF