@Autosport on X
Sunday’s Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix nearly took a horrifying turn when Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson had to take evasive action to keep from hitting two workers who had run onto the track.
The incident occurred on lap three of the race when the marshals ran across the track to remove pieces of debris. Lawson, who had just pitted to replace his front wing, rejoined the race.
But when he drove through the opening turns of the lap, the workers were still running back across the track to return to their designated positions. Lawson needed to brake and swerve to avoid hitting them.
He then came over the radio to his team to express his concern and frustration with what had just unfolded.
No safety car, The video with Marshalls running across the track for the Gran Premio de México – Mexico City Grand Prix. Liam Lawson shocked. #Formula1 #FIA #f1 #MexicoGP pic.twitter.com/4zx5MJLmEl
— M. J. (@SocialTerritory) October 26, 2025
“Mate, (what) the f—?” he yelled to his race engineer. “Are you kidding me? Did you just see that? I could have… killed them.”
After the race, Lawson expressed not only his anger over the situation, but also his amazement.
“I honestly couldn’t believe what I was seeing,” he said. “..came out on a new set of hards (tires) and then I got to turn one and there were just two dudes running across the track.
“I nearly hit one of them, honestly, it was so dangerous.
“Obviously, there’s been a miscommunication somewhere. But I’ve never experienced that before, and I haven’t really seen that in the past. It’s pretty unacceptable.
“We can’t understand how, on a live track, marshals can be allowed to just run across the track like that. I have no idea why, I’m sure we’ll get some sort of explanation, but it really can’t happen again.”
A video shot from stands and posted on TikTok showed just how close Lawson and the track workers came to disaster.
@henriracingteam19 The moment where the Marshalls crossed the track during Liam Lawson’s lap at Mexico 2025 #liamlawson #visacashappracingbulls #F12025 #mexicogp #autodromohermanosrodriguez
In 1977, at the South African Grand Prix, driver Tom Pryce struck a 19-year-old race marshal at 170 miles per hour after he had crossed the track without permission to deal with a broken-down car. The marshall was killed instantly, as was Pryce, who was struck in the head by a fire extinguisher being carried by the worker.
Since then, Formula 1 has grown leaps and bounds when it comes to safety. But Sunday’s incident is a reminder that there is still work yet to be done.