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Liam Lawson has been called before the stewards at the Monaco Grand Prix after committing a breach at the end of the first free practice session â the latest setback in a difficult start to the weekend for the Racing Bulls driver.
Lawson endured a frustrating FP1, languishing towards the bottom of the timing sheets with a car he visibly struggled to handle on the streets of Monte Carlo. The session was further disrupted when a red flag was deployed in the closing moments following a collision involving Fernando Alonso, which scattered debris across the circuit.
However, the session was briefly resumed before the clock expired, and several drivers headed back out to complete practice starts â a common procedure in the final seconds of a free practice hour.
Lawson, though, went beyond what was permitted. The New Zealander was seen moving past the pit lane exit after the red light had been shown, a clear violation of the F1 sporting regulations. The stewards wasted no time in summoning him to explain the incident ahead of the afternoon's second practice session.
It is not the first time drivers have found themselves in front of the Monaco stewards this weekend. Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc were also summoned on Thursday after arriving late to the official FIA press conference â a sign that officials are maintaining a strict regulatory approach throughout the event.
The timing of the infraction is far from ideal for Lawson, who is already operating under mounting scrutiny. His Racing Bulls seat for 2027 is far from guaranteed, with F2 standout Nikola Tsolov emerging as a genuine threat to his place on the grid. A difficult Monaco weekend â on and off the track â will do little to ease the pressure on the New Zealander as he looks to make his case for a long-term future in Formula 1.
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.