Why Sergio Perez avoided punishment at Australian Grand Prix
8th March 2026Cadillac’s returning Formula 1 driver, Sergio Perez, has escaped punishment against Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson, and here is the reasoning the Stewards had given at the Australian Grand Prix.
Feature image credit: Pirelli
In his return to the grid, Perez couldn’t keep himself out of hot water with the stewards at the Australian GP. As the Mexican raced around the Albert Park circuit, he found himself in the middle of an on-track battle with Racing Bull’s Liam Lawson.
The two reignited their feud that raged on in 2024 as the two fought over the second Red Bull seat, alongside Max Verstappen. A seat which they both eventually lost.
Clearly, the feelings were not lost amongst the pair as Lawson and Perez locked wheels during the season opener, with Perez running Lawson wide on the exit of turn three.
It was reported and investigated by the stewards after Perez had allegedly forced Lawson off the circuit. However, the stewards deemed there would be no further action on the incident.
According to the report, the Stewards believed that Lawson was not entitled to the space around the outside of the Mexican driver, and Lawson was therefore not forced off by the Cadillac.
In the report, the stewards said:
“Car 30 [Lawson] attempted to overtake Car 11 [Perez] on the outside at Turn 3. Wheel to wheel contact occurred between the cars at the apex and LAW went wide and rejoined behind Car 11.
“LAW’s front axle was not ahead of PER’s front axle at the apex and applying the Driving Standard Guidelines, the Stewards determined that LAW was not entitled to space at the exit of Turn 3 and therefore he was not forced off by PER.”
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
