Lawson Surprised by Team Order to Let Verstappen Pass in Miami GP

Liam Lawson has expressed surprise over being instructed to hand his position back to Max Verstappen during a tight wheel-to-wheel fight in the Miami Grand Prix.

Verstappen, starting from the front row, spun at Turn 2 and dropped down the order. As the Red Bull driver fought to recover, he and Lawson clashed at Turn 11, with both drivers running off the track. Lawson stayed ahead but soon moved aside after a call from his team.

Why it matters:

The incident highlights the complex dynamic between Red Bull's main driver and its former junior, as well as the strict enforcement of track limits and gaining advantage rules. It also adds context to Lawson's difficult race, which ended in a crash triggered by a mechanical failure.

The details:

• Lawson told media including RacingNews365: “I didn’t think I had to give the place back, but apparently I did.” He described it as “close racing” but admitted he wasn't planning to fight hard anyway.
• The New Zealander believed he did not gain a lasting advantage and thought the move was clean, making the team's call unexpected.
• Shortly after the handover, Lawson's RB car suffered a gearbox failure, pitching him into Pierre Gasly and ending his Grand Prix.
• Before the mechanical issue, Lawson had already noted a poor balance: “At that point I didn't know, but I think a couple of laps after that I realised we had not a very good balance.”
• He estimates that without the failure, a top-10 finish and points were possible, though difficult.

What's next:

Lawson's race ended in retirement, but the incident adds to the narrative of Verstappen's aggressive recovery and the fine line between fair racing and team orders. For Lawson, the focus will be on reliability and regaining momentum in upcoming rounds.