Mexican league criticises Lawson after marshal incident

OMDAI escalates discussion on marshals on track

Mexican motorsport federation OMDAI has openly questioned Liam Lawson. At issue was the situation during the second round of the Mexican Grand Prix. Lawson was just coming out of the pit lane and passed marshals who were cleaning up on the track.

On team radio, Lawson reacted with shock. Immediately after the incident, he said he could have killed them. He later called the situation “unacceptable” in the media. The FIA subsequently apologised to Lawson, according to reports.

What does OMDAI say?

OMDAI subsequently published an extensive ten-point statement. That includes stills from Lawson's onboard camera. The federation defends the work of the marshals. OMDAI argues that they were needed on the track to ensure the safety of other drivers.

In addition, OMDAI emphasises the rules around double waved yellow. According to those rules, a driver must clearly reduce his speed, not overtake and be ready to change direction or stop. OMDAI states that Racing Bulls had informed Lawson about the double waved yellow flags.

The federation also writes in capital letters that the marshals should have been clearly visible. OMDAI further reports that Lawson did not break his line while marshals were present on the track. This could be taken as an implicit accusation of not following the rules.

Image and assessment of the incident

Available onboard material shows that Lawson did reduce his speed. The footage also indicates that he was ready to stop. He did not deviate much from his racing line, but drove at low speed and never got close enough to the marshals to make contact.

No official punishment or investigation was launched against Lawson by the race stewards. The stewards, including Mexican representative Fernando Alfonso Oros Trigueros of FEMADAC, seemed to see no reason for follow-up action. The fact that FIA officials apologised reinforced that view.

What does OMDAI's statement mean?

OMDAI's statement suggests a different reading of events. This puts additional pressure on the FIA. The international federation is still investigating the incident and has not yet made its conclusions public.

• OMDAI defends the presence of marshals on the track.
• The federation points out the meaning of double waved yellow: reduce speed and be ready to stop.
• OMDAI argues that Lawson did not interrupt his line and that the marshals should have been visible.
• Onboard footage shows Lawson slowed down and did not get in dangerous proximity to the marshals.
• The FIA is investigating the incident and should now clarify.

The matter is not over with this. OMDAI's move is a clear escalation. The FIA faces the task of presenting the facts clearly and removing any ambiguities.