Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson revealed today that he received clear support from the FIA after being wrongly blamed by Mexico’s motorsport authority for a near-miss as marshals ran on track during last month’s Mexican Grand Prix.
Speaking to reporters at Interlagos before this weekend’s Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the 23-year-oldNew Zealander said he was shocked by both the incident and how it was interpreted by the local organisers, who initially blamed him for lack of care and caution.
“I was very surprised when it came out,” he said, when asked how he felt at how the potentially fatal incident was treated and then reported by the Mexican promoters.
“I think the FIA statement was very clear and very accurate as well. I don’t really need to say too much more than what was put in that statement.
“It was obvious [they had] checked into everything that led to that happening, to the fact that they got caught out there and then everything I did in the car to obviously slow down and avoid them, and take a completely different line than what I’ve taken through the entire weekend.”
Shocked at the time, Lawson avoided an accident and reported it on team radio, saying he felt he “could have killed” the two marshals who were out on track to clear debris.
The Mexican motorsport federation then blamed him for failing to drive with sufficient caution as yellow flags were waved.
The sport’s ruling body, the International Motoring Federation (FIA), announced an investigation and subsequently cleared Lawson of any blame.
“I was very appreciative of the FIA and their review,” he said.
Don Kennedy took this shot of Kiwi Liam Lawson coming close to hitting two marshals who ran across the track in front of him during the Mexican Grand Prix. Photo / Don Kennedy
“It took everything into account with the team, the data from inside the car and the statement was factual and clear. I am also still surprised that they [the Mexican federation] would post something like that without any research.”
He added that he had deliberately avoided taking any obvious or dramatic avoiding action.
“The thing is, maybe some people would expect big avoiding action and swerving and stuff when something like this happens, but it’s like when you are running at somebody and you don’t know what direction they are going to go,” he said.
“Honestly, when I saw that they were running across the track, I knew as long as I kept that trajectory and just opened up in a safe way, without any erratic movements, that they would hopefully keep going in that direction.
“If I’d started swerving, I’m going to freak the guy out and he might turn back the other way. In the end, I just rolled out to a line that was so much wider than I had taken all weekend anyway.”
The full report of the FIA investigation has not yet been published but, as Lawson revealed, the interim statement cleared him of any blame.
The incident revived memories of a tragic accident at the 1977 South African Grand Prix when Tom Pryce struck marshal Jansen van Vuuren at Kyalami. Both died.
