MEXICO CITY – Max Verstappen slammed his Red Bull stable-mate Liam Lawson as “not very smart” after the pair clashed during a feisty battle in the second practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix on Oct 30, which resulted in a one-place grid drop for both.

As Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the times ahead of world champion Lando Norris of McLaren in an eventful session that saw title-chasing Kimi Antonelli wind up fourth, Red Bull’s four-time champion became embroiled in an incident that left him with damaged bodywork.

He tangled with Racing Bulls’ Lawson as they fought for track position going into the Foro Sol section and afterwards said the New Zealander caused the trouble.

Debris from their minor collision caused the session to be red-flagged for the track to be cleared.

“It was not unlucky,” said the 29-year-old Dutchman. “It was not very smart behaviour by him in what he was trying to do there. But it is not going to change my weekend.

“I think it is just not very smart behaviour when you are fighting for your seat…“

Lawson has admitted this week that he does not know if he will retain his place next season with Racing Bulls, a sister team to Red Bull and regarded as a “feeder” outfit, despite an impressive season including three races for Red Bull when Isack Hadjar was out injured.

Racing Bulls may move to promote Red Bull junior driver Nikola Tsolov, who on Oct 30 became the first Bulgarian driver to take part in an official practice session at a Grand Prix when he drove in first session.

Lawson, 24, has impressed throughout the year and out-performed rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad comprehensively.

On Oct 29, he told reporters that finding consistency in Formula 1 is hard, but he believed he has “maximised” a lot this year.

“I’m not really sure what more is expected, but I’m not really sitting here thinking too much about the whole seat selection thing.

“I overthought things last year so I’m trying a different mindset this year to score as many points as I can.”

Lawson is ninth in the drivers’ championship with 77 points while teammate Lindblad is 11th on 38. His performances have helped lift Racing Bulls to fifth in the constructors’ title race behind the big four of Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren.

He ended up ninth in the second practice on Oct 31, while Verstappen was fifth behind the Mercedes of George Russell and 20-year-old Italian Antonelli – who is poised to become the sport’s youngest champion on Nov 1 if he finishes in the top nine.

Verstappen, a five-time winner in Mexico, admitted: “It could have gone better, but we’re not too far off and just have some fine tuning to do. No one has much grip here but it is the same for us all and nothing new.” AFP