Opinion - "Shove that up ya, Perez!" Lawson pulls the finger at Sergio Perez

Kiwi Liam Lawson managed to rustle some feathers during the latest F1 outing over the weekend. The F1 circus headed to Mexico for round 20 of the championship, which is quickly turning into one of the best seasons we’ve been blessed with in years.

Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz secured his second win of 2024 at the Mexican Grand Prix with a dominant performance, becoming this season's sixth driver to claim multiple wins. Lando Norris took second place despite Max Verstappen making it his personal mission to keep him off the track.

The Spaniard quickly reclaimed the lead he lost at the start and maintained it throughout the race, establishing an unassailable gap that neutralized any threat from Norris in the final laps, especially after the McLaren driver overtook Charles Leclerc.

While there was plenty of action at the front of the grid, two of Red Bull’s drivers found themselves coming together at the back, sparking new questions about Liam Lawson's on-track conduct. The New Zealander clashed with his rival at Turn 4 on lap 19. After being pushed wide during a Red Bull overtake attempt, he kept his foot on the throttle, resulting in a collision at the next right-hander.

Perez’s car sustained damage to its floor edge and sidepod, which the team estimated cost him about 65 points of downforce. Although the Mexican managed to maintain his position for the rest of the lap, he ultimately lost ground as the RB sailed past him on the main straight. In a moment of frustration, Lawson gave Perez the finger as he overtook, a gesture that was caught on camera. This incident has sparked significant discussion across the internet, with many people showing support for either side.

This is where the opinion piece kicks off. Ultimately, I believe the move against Lawson into Turn 4 was a poor attempt at a dive bomb, executed only because of an unwritten expectation for any VCARB driver to get out of the way when a Red Bull is steaming through. We are seeing this more often, as Perez has struggled to qualify in one of the grid's fastest cars, having only finished in the top six once in the last 14 races in what can be described as one of the top cars on the grid.

Yes, the Red Bull has had its ups and downs this season, and while many would argue it’s no longer a front-runner, Max Verstappen has still managed seven podiums in the last 14 races, three of which were wins. Combine this with Lawson having only six races to prove his worth and keep his current seat in F1, while also using these races as an audition for the top team.

So, back to the Turn 4 incident: don’t give Liam a hard time for racing with his elbows out while fighting off a Red Bull that shouldn't be contending for 10th in the first place. Perez made egregious moves that shoved Lawson wide, ultimately resulting in contact, and then spent the rest of the race sitting in front of Lawson, forcing him to endure dirty air and hampering the rest of his race. I’d pull the finger too. Shove that up ya, Perez

Opinion piece written by Dylan O'Connor