Liam Lawson apologizes to Pierre Gasly after Miami GP crash caused by gearbox failure

Liam Lawson has apologized to Pierre Gasly after a gearbox failure on his Racing Bulls car caused a dramatic, race-ending crash for both drivers at the Miami Grand Prix. The incident, which saw Gasly's Alpine tipped upside down, occurred as Lawson attempted a pass for the final points position, but a sudden mechanical issue left him with no brakes and unable to slow down.

Why it matters:

High-speed contact in Formula 1, especially one that flips a car, underscores the inherent danger of the sport even with modern safety standards. Beyond the immediate safety concern, such incidents can severely impact a team's championship points and morale, particularly for midfield squads like Alpine and Racing Bulls where every point is critical for financial and competitive standing.

The details:

• The collision happened on Lap 1 at Turn 17 as Lawson tried to overtake Gasly for P10.
• Lawson reported a complete gearbox failure at the braking point: "I lost it, went straight to neutral, and I couldn't downshift and slow the car down."
• The failure caused his car to lock up and spear into the side of Gasly's Alpine, launching it into a roll before it came to rest against the barrier.
• Stewards investigated the incident but took no action against Lawson, attributing the cause solely to the mechanical failure.
• Despite being cleared of blame, Lawson sought out Gasly after the race to personally explain and apologize for the unintentional collision.

What's next:

The focus for both teams shifts to Imola and the European leg of the season, with investigations into the reliability failure paramount for Racing Bulls.

• For Lawson, maintaining strong form is crucial as he continues his substitute role for the injured Daniel Ricciardo.
• Alpine will analyze the damage to Gasly's car while taking solace in teammate Esteban Ocon's points finish in Miami and rookie Franco Colapinto's impressive P7 result, which salvaged something from a chaotic weekend.