Lawson changes approach after Pérez sprint clash

Liam Lawson said his latest clash with Sergio Pérez in the Canadian Grand Prix sprint has changed how he approaches racing the Cadillac driver, after stewards penalized Pérez for forcing him off the track at Turn 13.

The Racing Bulls driver was trying to fight back from the rear of the grid when he found himself battling Pérez again in the midfield. Their duel ended with contact at Turn 13, and Lawson made clear afterward that he now treats wheel-to-wheel racing with Pérez differently from battles with other drivers.

Lawson said in comments to media including RacingNews365 that the pattern of their incidents is now affecting his decision-making in the car. “Obviously, trying to come through the field from the back, and I just have to be careful when racing him. He's quite aggressive, so in the end, he pushed me off, and I just decided not to race him anymore. It's not really worth it for no points. But yeah, seems to be a thing when I race with him.”

The FIA stewards agreed that Pérez was at fault. In their official report, they said: “Car 30 was attempting to overtake Car 11 on the straight before Turn 13. Car 11 moved to the right of the track, then moved back to the left, forcing Car 30 off the track.” Pérez was given a 10-second penalty for the move.

That sanction changed the sprint result after the flag. Pérez dropped from 11th to 14th, while Lawson inherited the position.

The incident in Montreal was the latest flashpoint in a feud that stretches back to the fight for a Red Bull seat before the 2025 season. It flared again after Pérez returned to full-time Formula 1 with Cadillac in 2026, and the pair had already gone wheel-to-wheel in Australia earlier this year.

What stood out in Montreal was not only the penalty but Lawson’s admission that the rivalry is now shaping his racecraft. Rather than keep forcing the issue, he chose to back out of the fight, a sign that any future battle between the two now carries an extra layer of calculation for Lawson whenever Pérez is in his mirrors or alongside.