Sergio Perez slammed the “attitude” of Liam Lawson after returning to F1 and warned him he could be back out the door if he does not become more “humble”. Perez’s harsh words for the VCARB driver – who has been speculated as a contender to replace him at Red Bull from F1 2025 – come after an intense battle between them in the Mexican Grand Prix through the opening sequence of corners, Perez left with damage to his Red Bull RB20. Sergio Perez tells Liam Lawson he lacks ‘right attitude’Additional reporting by Elizabeth BlackstockLawson attracted the ire of Aston Martin’s two-time World Championship Fernando Alonso on his F1 return in Austin, with Perez now the one at odds with the Kiwi in what was Perez’s home race.
Speaking to the media, including PlanetF1. com, after the Mexican GP, Perez had a sarcastic message to Lawson regarding their on-track spat. “It was looking good.
We were already up to P10,” he said of his race, Perez ultimately finishing P18 and last after unsuccessfully going for the fastest lap. “I have a manoeuvre into Turn 4 and then he was outside the track and just came straight like if there was no car you know. “I think he could have avoided the incident but he just went back.
Luckily I saw him and I opened the room, otherwise it would have been a massive crash. “There was no need. We damaged both of our races.
I think it was just a little bit too much. “But I don’t think it’s his fault. He’s not getting any penalties as well.
He did the same with Fernando, with Franco [Colapinto] in the end, and there are no penalties. So, none of his fault as well. ”And when asked what his relationship with Lawson is like, that proved the trigger for some brutal criticism from Perez, who told Lawson to be more “humble” or he could find himself going back out the F1 door.
“I think I don’t have any relationship with him,” said Perez. “I think the way he has come to Formula 1, I don’t think he has the right attitude for it. He needs to be a bit more humble, you know.
When a two-time World Champion [Alonso] was saying things last weekend, he completely ignored him. “When you come to Formula 1, you’re obviously very, very hungry and so on, but you have to be as well respectful off track and on track. I don’t think he’s showing the right attitude to show a good case for himself, because I think he’s a great driver and I hope for him that he can step back and learn from it.
“In his two first grands prix, he has had too many incidents. And I think there will be a point where it can cost him too much, like it did this weekend. “I just think that he has to have the right attitude to say, ‘Look, probably I’m overdoing it a little bit.
I will step back and start again’, you know. “And it’s all the learning you have to do as a youngster, because if you don’t learn from your mistakes, Formula 1 is a brutal world and he might not continue. ”VCARB yet to confirm F1 2025 plans👉 F1 2025 driver line-up: Who is already confirmed for the 2025 grid?
👉 F1 schedule: When is the next F1 race and where is it being held? With Perez again struggling for form in the Red Bull RB20, he was asked whether the speculation linking Lawson to his seat could have prompted Lawson to race him harder in Mexico? “Well, he nearly crashed with Fernando last weekend.
He nearly crashed with Franco,” Perez replied. “I think he’s just racing everyone out of control at the moment. ”The Red Bull driver programme is overseen by Helmut Marko, while Christian Horner is Red Bull Racing team boss, so Perez was asked whether he believes they should have a word with Lawson?
“That’s none of my business. It’s up to them,” Perez responded. “But today it cost Red Bull Racing a lot of points, so I think they should speak to him in that regard.
”Red Bull has dropped to P3 in the Constructors’ Championship standings, 25 points behind Ferrari and 54 back from McLaren. Read next – Mexican GP: Carlos Sainz wins as Max Verstappen hit with huge penalty by FIA
