Yes, F1 has overtakes, tyre strategies and annoying pit-stop timing, but sometimes the best entertainment is a grown-up grudge on four wheels. The simmering feud between Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez flared up again at the Australian Grand Prix, and it was exactly as petty and glorious as you want it to be.
What happened on track
On lap 18 the pair went door-to-door through Turn 3. Perez nudged Lawson off the racing line and the stewards had a quick look before deciding no punishment was needed. Later that same lap Lawson fought back into Turn 11 and the two made wheel-to-wheel contact, confirming there is zero mutual affection here.
Radio drama followed. Lawson fired a classic, blunt assessment over team radio: "that guy fucking sucks". Perez, apparently amused, later quipped on the radio: "Haha, what happened with this guy?"
After the race Lawson accused Perez of racing like he was protecting a world title rather than battling for position. Perez insisted it was just hard racing. Both statements are short, sharp, and entirely predictable.
Why this isn’t new — hello 2024
This beef did not spring up from nowhere. Back in 2024 Perez was having a rough season. Red Bull’s RB20 was acting up, even Max Verstappen had problems, and Perez scored just 43 points between Imola (round six) and the United States (round 19). Pressure was mounting on him.
At the same time Lawson was climbing the ladder. Promoted into the junior Racing Bulls team after Daniel Ricciardo was shown the exit, Lawson made his intentions clear about wanting a top seat. The two collided during Perez’s home race, a melee that ended with Lawson flipping the bird from his cockpit. Perez publicly said Lawson lacked the temperament for grand prix racing. Drama, fuelled by ego and bad blood, was now on the menu.
Lawson later apologised for the middle finger, but the tension didn’t die. Perez’s 2025 situation unravelled, his contract was terminated, and Verstappen ended up with a new team-mate. Perez has admitted he warned the old Red Bull leadership that Lawson might struggle, comments that apparently were not acted upon.
The post-script — and what’s next
Lawson only got two grand prix weekends in the top seat and was replaced before the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix by Yuki Tsunoda. Meanwhile, Perez is now part of a newcomer outfit backed by Cadillac, which has eyes on midfield growth. Lawson’s Racing Bulls sit squarely in the path of that ambition, meaning these two are likely to cross sparks again.
So, expect more close encounters, radio snark and the occasional unsporting gesture. If you like your F1 with a side of soap opera, stick around — this rivalry is far from finished.
