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Lawson Apologises to Gasly Following Dramatic Miami Grand Prix Collision
Liam Lawson has apologised to Pierre Gasly after a sudden gearbox failure caused a dramatic collision between the two drivers at the Miami Grand Prix.
A Battle for Points Ends in the Barriers
Liam Lawson has confirmed he sought out Pierre Gasly to offer a personal apology following their dramatic collision during the Miami Grand Prix. The incident occurred while the duo were fiercely contesting the final points-paying position in the early stages of the grand prix.
As Lawson attempted a decisive move to get ahead at Turn 17, his Racing Bulls machine suffered a catastrophic lock-up, spearing directly into Gasly. The impact was severe enough to tip Gasly's car upside down before it eventually came to a halt against the barrier.
The Mechanical Failure Behind the Crash
While the incident initially appeared to be a misjudged overtaking attempt, Lawson later clarified that a sudden mechanical issue was the true culprit. The New Zealander detailed that a gearbox failure triggered the dramatic crash, leaving him as a passenger in his own cockpit.
"I went to brake for the last corner, and when I hit the brakes, we had a gearbox failure," Lawson explained to the media. "I lost it, went straight to neutral, and I couldn't downshift and slow the car down."
The sudden loss of gears meant Lawson had no way to decelerate the car in time for the tight corner. "It's a shame, it's obviously taken out Pierre, which is not good. They were having a great weekend," he added.
Stewards Absolve Lawson as Amends Are Made
Because the fault with the car was confirmed, Lawson was absolved of any blame, ensuring he didn't pick up a penalty. Despite escaping official sanction, the Racing Bulls driver felt a professional obligation to clear the air with his rival after their retirements.
"I went and saw him to apologise," Lawson stated. "Obviously, they've had a great weekend. I wanted to explain to him that I wasn't intentionally trying to push the braking like that. I just had no gearbox and no brakes."
While Gasly was forced into an early retirement due to the collision, his team-mate Franco Colapinto went on to secure a career-best result in seventh.