FIA announces investigation after Liam Lawson 'nearly killed' marshals

The FIA have launched an investigation into Liam Lawson’s near-miss with two F1 marshals during the Mexican Grand Prix, but have defended the Racing Bulls driver in a recent statement.

Returning to the track after an early pit stop, Lawson was furious when he was confronted by two marshals out on track at the exit of Turn 1 under racing conditions.

Lawson issued an angry response over team radio and cried, ‘I could have f***ing killed them’, calling for accountability after Sunday’s grand prix.

However, Lawson himself came under fire from a member of the Organizacion Mexicana De Automovilismo Internacional (OMDAI), who shifted the blame to the racing driver claiming the marshals should have been ‘clearly visible’.

This sentiment stood in stark contrast with the FIA’s statement after the Mexican GP on Monday, who apologised to Lawson and promised an investigation.

Lawson not at fault for Mexican GP incident says FIA

The FIA recently penned their own response to the OMDAI, defending Lawson who they said was not to blame for what happened in Mexico City.

They wrote: “Having analysed the telemetry from the incident, we can confirm that the driver of Car 30, Liam Lawson, slowed appropriately and reacted correctly to the double yellow flags displayed in the area, braking earlier than in other laps and passing significantly slower than racing speed into Turn 1.”

"He is not at fault in this incident.

"Finally, we would like to express our sincere thanks to the volunteers and marshals for their professionalism and dedication - without them, our sport could not operate safely."

The FIA’s statement also confirmed an investigation into the incident and that a full analysis will take time.

"Whilst the investigation remains ongoing, we acknowledge that any situation where marshals find themselves on track in front of oncoming cars is something we never want to see, and hence it is natural that such an incident will provoke concern and numerous comments," the statement read.

"It is fortunate this incident did not result in any serious consequences, but we are conducting an internal investigation to understand exactly what happened and to identify any areas where procedures can be improved.

"We are collaborating openly and transparently for this purpose with the OMDAI [Mexican Automobile Club] and with Racing Bulls Formula 1 Team, with the ultimate objective to achieve our common aim, which is to always improve the safety of our sport.

"As with all serious incidents, the full analysis will take some time, as it involves collecting and reviewing all relevant evidence, including radio communications in multiple languages from the various parties involved, and synchronising all of these diverse inputs. The findings will be shared once the review is complete."

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