Formula 1's much-publicised marshals near-miss during the 2025 Mexican Grand Prix had a surprising fresh escalation this week with the Mexican motorsport authority questioning Liam Lawson's driving during the incident.
The Mexican member of the FIA, OMDAI - Organización Mexicana De Automovilismo Internacional - appears to not have taken kindly to Lawson's shocked reaction during and after the race over coming up to marshals on track recovering debris during the second lap of the race, as he came out of pitlane.
A stunned Lawson vented "I could have f***ing killed them" on his team radio in the immediate aftermath of going past the marshals at the exit of Turn 1, then told media post-race that it was "pretty unacceptable".
The race understands FIA officials have apologised to Lawson for the incident.
However, OMDAI's remarkable 10-point statement, which features stills from Lawson's onboard camera, defends the three marshals' presence on the track surface as being required "to ensure the safety of the other drivers in the race".
It is also seemingly critical of Lawson - although it does not make it clear whether the federation considers the incident a major safety breach from the Racing Bulls Formula 1 driver or just feels his reaction was exaggerated.
The statement, released on Tuesday, had gone largely unnoticed until Thursday - and has not been publicly shared, nor ratified, by the FIA.
Much of it is dedicated to defining the various terms and signals used in the matter, most pertinently double-waved flags, which under the FIA's International Sporting Code require a driver to "reduce your speed significantly, do not overtake, and be prepared to change direction or stop" because "there is a hazard wholly or partly blocking the track and/or marshals working on or beside the track".
OMDAI points out that Racing Bulls had informed Lawson of the double-waved yellow flags in the incident, and claims - in bolded letters - that the marshals should have been "clearly visible" to him as he approached Turn 1.
It also emphasises, again in bolded letters, that Lawson "did not interrupt his [driving] line despite the obvious presence of marshals on the track", which could be read as a suggestion he is in breach of the FIA regulations.
Lawson's available onboard footage makes a strong case that he did slow sufficiently under the double-waved yellow flag rule, and was prepared to stop. While he indeed does not deviate hugely from the racing line in passing by the marshals, there is no indication that him not doing so has contributed in any way to the risk factor of the situation - as he is proceeding at very low speed and is never close to coming in contact with the marshals.
There was no investigation into Lawson's driving, and the fact FIA officials apologised to him suggests the stewards panel - which featured, as it always does, a local representative, in long-serving Mexican motorsport federation (FEMADAC) president Fernando Alfonso Oros Trigueros - felt Lawson had no case to answer for.
OMDAI's statement appears to be a suggestion to the contrary - and means there will must be even more pressure on the FIA, which is investigating the matter and is yet to publicly present its findings, to navigate what happened.
