Although the 2026 Formula 1 season has only just begun, the sparks are already flying between two drivers who clearly have unfinished business. New Zealander Liam Lawson and Mexican veteran Sergio Pérez reignited their long-standing rivalry at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, which marked the start of the season.
The battle? Not for a podium. Not for championship points. For P16. Judging by the radio messages afterwards, you would think the two were fighting for the world title.
A Rivalry That Refuses to Die
Lawson and Pérez have a history stretching back several seasons, and it has rarely been a friendly one. Their tension first became obvious during the 2024 Mexican Grand Prix, when a clash involving their wheels triggered a wave of accusations after the race.
At the time, the stakes were quite different:
Pérez was trying to secure his future with Red Bull Racing, while Lawson was attempting to prove that he deserved a long-term place in Formula 1 by performing well with the RB F1 Team (which was widely known as Racing Bulls at the time). Tempers boiled over quickly. During the race, Lawson famously gave Pérez the middle finger — an image that circulated widely across the motorsport world.
In short, the pair were never destined to be friends.
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A New Season, A Familiar Conflict
Fast forward to 2026 and, although the circumstances have changed, the tension remains. Pérez, who found himself without a full-time seat in 2025, has returned to the grid with the Cadillac Formula 1 team. Meanwhile, Lawson remains with the Red Bull family, determined to rebuild his reputation as one of the sport’s rising talents.
Their reunion came early during the Australian Grand Prix, where both drivers found themselves battling for 16th place in the lower midfield.
Formula 1 prides itself on the drama at the front of the grid, but the real fireworks sometimes happen much further down the order.
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The Clash at Turn 3
The decisive moment came at Turn 3 in Melbourne. Lawson tried to defend his position, but Pérez forced the issue aggressively on the inside. The result was contact that pushed the New Zealander aside.
Moments later, Lawson responded in kind, demonstrating that restraint was not his strategy for the afternoon. The radio traffic that followed revealed exactly how both drivers felt about the incident.
Pérez, clearly amused, asked his team over the radio: ‘Hahaha, where has that guy gone?’
Lawson’s reaction was rather less diplomatic: ‘This guy is a real piece of sh!t!’
Not exactly the kind of message that would end up framed on the wall at team headquarters. Lawson said, ‘It’s only P16.’
After the race, Lawson suggested that Pérez was still carrying a grudge from their previous encounters. According to the New Zealander, the Mexican driver treated the battle as though far more was at stake than merely finishing in the midfield.
‘Two years later, he still hasn’t gotten over what happened back then,’ said Lawson.
‘He’s driving like he’s fighting for the world championship title. But it’s only about 16^(th) place.”
While Lawson acknowledged that Pérez had not technically broken any rules, he was clearly unimpressed by the level of aggression.
‘He didn’t do anything illegal, but it was simply too aggressive. Sorry, but when it comes to P16, I don’t care.’
In Formula 1 terms, that is roughly the diplomatic equivalent of slamming the door.
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Pérez laughs it off
By contrast, Pérez appeared far more relaxed about the whole situation. The six-time Grand Prix winner and runner-up in the 2023 World Championship said that the race was about survival rather than performance.
“The race was fun,” he said afterwards.
“We were so much slower than the others, so for me it was just about making my tyres last as long as possible.'”
His light-hearted response suggested that he was either genuinely unfazed or simply enjoying winding up his younger rival. Given the laughter on the team radio, the latter cannot be ruled out.
Formula 1 rivalries often fade when circumstances change, but the Lawson–Pérez feud appears surprisingly resilient. Whether they are fighting for podiums or positions deep in the midfield, the two drivers clearly approach racing each other with the same intensity.
If their clash in Melbourne is anything to go by, fans may not have seen the last of this particular saga.
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NEXT ARTICLE – 2026 Australian GP: Exciting or Whacky races as perilous dangers become apparent
Probably the most debated change in technical and sporting regulations in the history of Formula One finally was born into reality in Melbourne on Sunday 8th March. On the way to the grid, local hero Oscar Piastri slammed his McLaren car into the wall as an apparent torque spike took control of the MCL40.
The Australian was to take no further part in the days action. Previously in qualifying on his first flying lap, the driver considered a generational talent and maestro of car control, Max Verstappen suffered a similar fate sending his RB22 skipping across the gravel trap at turn one and into the barrier.
Max would start the Grand Prix down in in 20th place. The all new 2026 F1 cars have enormous amounts of torque available at the push of a button to the drivers, delivered from the hybrid powertrains which now sport 50% electrical power output alongside the internal combustion engines (ICE).
New cars, new rules, new kind of F1 racing
Torque from the electric motors unlike from the ICE is instant and uncontrolled will spin up the wheels at the rear of the car, leaving the driver helpless to control what follows. Add into the mix that the 2026 cars have lost a huge amount of downforce and ride on tyres which have a smaller contact patch meaning less grip.
Throughout the weekend, F1 analysts and broadcasters were marvelling at the fact the F1 cars were no longer on rails and that the drivers were being forced to wrestle control of their machines. Another improvement to the spectacle was the fact that the new aerodynamics and powertrains were allowing the cars to follow more closely without the driver behind destroying his tyres.
At the start of the race, George Russell on pole position reported his battery pack appeared empty and with the lights going out almost instantaneously he and a number of drivers were caught by surprise. Charle Leclerc in his fast starting Ferrari weaved between Hadjar ahead and then Russell to…CONTINUE TO READ THIS ARTICLE
Alex Stanton is a Formula 1 journalist at TJ13 with a focus on the financial and commercial dynamics that underpin the sport. Alex contributes reporting and analysis on team ownership structures, sponsorship trends, and the evolving business model of Formula 1.
At TJ13, Alex covers topics including manufacturer investment, cost cap implications, and the strategic direction of teams navigating an increasingly complex financial environment. Alex’s work often examines how commercial decisions translate into on-track performance and long-term competitiveness.
With a strong interest in the intersection of sport and business, Alex provides context around Formula 1’s global growth, including media rights, expansion markets, and manufacturer influence.
Alex’s reporting aims to explain the financial realities behind headline stories, helping readers understand how money, governance, and strategy shape the competitive order in Formula 1.
