The FIA has ignited a full-scale investigation following a horrifying near-miss during the Mexican Grand Prix — an event that could have turned catastrophic in seconds. While Lando Norris celebrated a commanding victory that crowned him championship leader, the spotlight shifted sharply from triumph to terror after a shocking on-track safety breach involving marshals and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson.
The incident unfolded on lap three, moments after Lawson had pitted to replace a damaged front wing from an earlier collision. As he accelerated back onto the circuit, two marshals were inexplicably spotted sprinting across the live track to clear debris. Startled and furious, Lawson’s radio crackled with disbelief: “Wait, the f***! Oh my God, are you kidding me?” His engineer’s calm reply — “Well done to avoid them” — barely masked the gravity of what had just occurred. Lawson, still shaken, retorted, “I could have f*****g killed them, mate.”
The Kiwi’s race spiraled from bad to worse. The car’s damage from the opening lap proved terminal, forcing him to retire prematurely — his fifth DNF of the season. Speaking after the race, Lawson condemned the situation as “pretty unacceptable,” expressing utter disbelief that marshals were allowed to run across a live circuit. “I nearly hit one of them, honestly. It was so dangerous,” he stated, calling for accountability and vowing such a lapse “can’t happen again.”
The FIA’s immediate response was one of urgency and scrutiny. In an official statement, motorsport’s governing body confirmed that the marshals were initially placed on standby to recover debris once the pack had cleared Turn 1. However, the instructions to enter were rescinded when Lawson entered the pits — yet somehow, the marshals still went out. The FIA has since pledged a full inquiry to determine the communication breakdown that nearly cost lives.
This deeply unsettling episode has reignited concerns about track safety and operational discipline at Formula 1 events. As global outrage swells and footage of the incident circulates online, the FIA faces mounting pressure to ensure that such a near-fatal lapse never recurs. What should have been a routine cleanup instead became a chilling reminder that even in the world’s most elite motorsport, one misstep can blur the line between precision and peril.
