Lawson Blames Gearbox Failure for Dramatic Gasly Crash in Miami
A Sudden Mechanical Failure
Liam Lawson has revealed that a sudden gearbox failure was the catalyst for his dramatic collision with Pierre Gasly during the Miami Grand Prix. The incident, which eliminated both drivers from the race, occurred in the braking zone of Turn 17, abruptly ending what had been a promising opening stint for the Racing Bulls driver.
The collision unfolded while Gasly was engaged in a fierce midfield battle. The Alpine driver was actively attacking the Williams of Alex Albon while simultaneously defending against Lawson. As the trio navigated the circuit, Lawson lost control of his car at Turn 17, clipping the rear of Gasly's Alpine. The impact was severe enough to cause the Frenchman's car to flip before making heavy contact with the barriers. Fortunately, Gasly emerged from the wreckage unscathed, though the damage forced an immediate double retirement.
"Yeah, it sucks for both of us, obviously," Lawson explained to the media in the aftermath of the race. "I just went into the last corner, and when I braked, I lost the gearbox and I went to neutral."
The New Zealander detailed the terrifying helplessness of the situation: "So I basically had no gears, and I couldn't stop, so it's not something I've had before. Obviously, it's quite a big issue for us and it's what meant we had to retire the car, but it's a shame because it's obviously taken out Pierre as well."
Early Promise Undone
The mechanical failure was a bitter pill to swallow for Lawson, who had executed a stellar opening phase of the Grand Prix. Starting from 11th on the grid, he had carved his way up to ninth by the fourth lap, showcasing excellent racecraft.
"Yeah, we haven't really been quick enough this weekend and we had a good start," Lawson reflected. "First lap was really, really good, made up a lot of places and was well inside the top 10 and fighting the balance a lot at the start of the race, which is why I was actually defending so that's quite frustrating and obviously a mechanical to take us out is disappointing. Hard luck."
The double DNF leaves the midfield battle tightly contested. Lawson currently sits 10th in the drivers' standings with 10 points, while Gasly remains just ahead in ninth with 16 points.
While the midfield drama unfolded, the battle at the front saw Kimi Antonelli secure a commanding victory after starting from pole position. The Italian driver was joined on the podium by the McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who crossed the line in second and third, respectively.
Simone Scanu
Heâs a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.