Franco Colapinto has shared his thoughts on the 10-second penalty he received in the Mexico Grand Prix, stating that he doesn’t fully agree with the stewards’ decision regarding his late-race contact with Liam Lawson.

During the race, the Williams driver attempted to pass Lawson on the outside at Turn 1, but in doing so, his rear right wheel made contact with Lawson’s front wing. Despite Lawson’s close positioning to the white line and being noted for aggressive defending, the stewards determined that he had left just enough room for Colapinto to remain on the track.

The stewards acknowledged that both drivers were compromised in Turn 2, with Colapinto being more affected. Ultimately, they ruled Colapinto at fault, as the Argentine driver had maintained his speed through the turn, which led to the collision and forced Lawson to pit for repairs.

In F1’s post-race show, Colapinto commented on the penalty, saying, “I don’t fully agree,” and compared the incident to a recent clash between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen in Austin. He further explained, “It’s similar to when the inside driver pushes you off the track. I was slightly ahead at the apex, and he [Lawson] braked late, ran wide, and forced me off, then broke his front wing alone.” Colapinto suggested that the stewards may have been influenced by the damage Lawson sustained, adding, “It’s not my fault he broke his front wing, but I think that’s why they penalized me.”

Lawson did not speak negatively of Colapinto, telling Sky Sports F1, “I gave him space at Turn 2, but he approached faster than I expected. I tried to avoid him but clipped his rear wheel. It was just a clumsy incident.”

Colapinto ultimately finished 12th, his position unchanged by the penalty, while Lawson ended 16th after repairs. This incident has only added to the ongoing debate over racing guidelines, highlighted by Norris’s penalty in Austin and Verstappen’s recent penalties in Mexico. Proposed rule changes may be discussed in the Qatar and Abu Dhabi rounds, with Colapinto noting that drivers need to work together to reduce penalties, especially in situations where the inside driver leaves little room.