Lawson vs Perez: Renewed Rivalry
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Background:
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Their tension dates back to 2024, when Lawson was considered a contender for Perez’s Red Bull seat.
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At the 2024 Mexican GP, the two made contact, and Lawson famously gestured at Perez, later apologising.
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Australian GP 2026 Incident:
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Late in the race, Lawson and Perez were battling wheel-to-wheel.
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Perez was noted by stewards for pushing Lawson off track but was ultimately cleared.
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Lawson joked:
“Two years later he’s not over it… fighting me like it’s for the world championship and we’re P16.”
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Perez downplayed it, calling it “just racing” and looked to move on.
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Lawson’s Race Struggles:
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Poor start dropped him down the order, taking him out of points contention.
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Experienced energy management issues throughout the race:
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Lost all power at one point, then briefly recovered before getting wheel spin.
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Energy deployment made it difficult to maintain pace.
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Lawson summed up driving the F1 2026 car as “not super fun… constantly managing energy, running out of energy, slowing down at the end of every straight.”
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Key Takeaway:
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The rivalry is still playful but competitive, with Perez taking it seriously and Lawson keeping a humorous perspective.
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Lawson’s struggles highlight ongoing challenges with the 2026 energy deployment rules, making wheel-to-wheel racing more physically and mentally demanding.
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If you want, I can make a quick “energy management trouble map” for Australian GP, showing all the drivers who struggled with battery deployment, including Verstappen, Norris, Lawson, and Piastri—it makes the new rules’ impact instantly clear.