Author Archives: PressBox

Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson were placed under FIA investigation after colliding in second practice for the Mexican Grand Prix at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. The incident happened in the stadium section, scattered debris, brought out a brief red flag and damaged both cars. Verstappen called Lawson’s move “not very smart” and said Lawson should have acted “a little bit smarter” while fighting for his seat. Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies described the crash as “very, very unnecessary” and said the team would need to repair the car overnight.

The clash came during a busy FP2 session that Charles Leclerc topped with a best lap of 1:17.827. Leclerc finished 0.103 seconds ahead of Lando Norris and 0.106 seconds ahead of George Russell, while Verstappen, who had skipped FP1, finished fifth and 0.311 seconds off the pace. Liam Lawson was ninth in the session.

Leclerc also led first practice, giving him a clean sweep of Friday practice in Mexico. Lewis Hamilton’s FP2 ended with an engine problem when his Ferrari stopped on track near Turn 4 before being recovered, triggering a brief virtual safety car.

Colton Herta’s run in Friday’s Mexico City Grand Prix practice completed the final mileage he needed for an FIA superlicence, making him eligible to race in Formula One in 2027 and increasing the pressure on Valtteri Bottas in Cadillac’s driver plans. Marcin Budkowski said an American driver is important to Cadillac’s identity, and Cadillac is still viewed as likely to favor Herta for a seat if the team makes a driver change, even as Bottas remains the preferred option for now and is being asked to deliver strong performances in the final weeks of the season.

Cadillac also locked in Sergio Perez on a new multi-year deal in Mexico City, keeping him committed to the team for at least the next three years. That leaves the team with a growing pool of options as it shapes its Formula One lineup for 2027.

Frederik Vesti is another candidate for a possible Cadillac seat. The Mercedes test and reserve driver said he wants his first full-time Formula 1 drive, and he backed up his case by setting the third-fastest time in Friday’s Mexico City FP1 session. Vesti has also raced for Cadillac in IMSA, helped the Cadillac Whelen team win this year’s title, and has three wins and three podiums with Whelen Cadillac Racing, including a victory at Watkins Glen alongside Jack Aitken and Earl Bamber.

Ollie Bearman said ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix that it is “very clear” he wants to stay with Haas in 2027, as the team works to finalize a contract extension. Bearman said talks about his future are continuing in the background, but no official announcement has been made and he does not know when one will come. He also said his Formula 1 future is “not really in my hands.”

Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu said the team and Bearman both want to keep working together next season. Komatsu dismissed reports that a delayed renewal was being held up by salary demands as “absolute nonsense,” saying there was “zero truth” to speculation about a €6 million figure. He said the delay is entirely on the contractual side and that he is certain Bearman will remain with Haas in 2027, adding that the deal will get done.

Bearman is contracted to Ferrari, which ultimately controls his future. Haas has also confirmed that Ferrari junior Rafael Camara will join the team and that Esteban Ocon is set to leave at the end of the current campaign. Ocon said he is still talking with teams and feels he has unfinished business in Formula 1, with a possible Cadillac seat alongside Sergio Perez mentioned as one option.

Valtteri Bottas received a 50-place grid penalty for the Mexico City Grand Prix after Cadillac changed five power-unit components on his car, an internal combustion engine, turbocharger, energy store, control electronics and MGU-K. Each change was a first-time offense under the 2026 regulations and carried a 10-place penalty, with the combined total triggering Formula 1’s automatic drop to the back of the grid. Bottas also retired from the Austin race the previous Sunday after a suspected power-unit problem ended his run late.

The penalty added to mounting pressure on Bottas’ Cadillac seat, with the driver still unconfirmed for 2027 and Cadillac not fully backing him for next season. Cadillac principal Marcin Budkowski said Bottas needs to deliver strong performances “race in, race out,” and said the team values building an American identity, which could lead to more FP1 outings for Colton Herta.

Herta drove Bottas’ Cadillac in Friday’s first practice session in Mexico City to satisfy the team’s young driver requirement, and he completed enough laps to earn the final points needed for an FIA Super License. Bottas missed Thursday’s media duties because of illness, and Sergio Pérez was also feeling unwell and arrived late to the track on Friday. Cadillac has confirmed Pérez on a long-term extension through at least 2029.