Liam Lawson calls out 'aggressive' F1 rival: 'I have to be careful'

Liam Lawson feels he must race Sergio Perez with more caution than other F1 drivers after the latest incident between the pair during the sprint at the Canadian Grand Prix.

There is no love lost between them after the New Zealander took the six-time grand prix winner's seat at Red Bull ahead of the 2025 F1 season.

Their heated rivalry began in the months prior to the 36-year-old being put out to pasture by his previous employer, as speculation as to who would partner Max Verstappen in the coming campaign ramped up.

The tension between them was laid bare with multiple on-track skirmishes as the Racing Bulls driver made his case for the seat he would eventually only occupy for two rounds.

And when Perez returned to a full-time driver with Cadillac at the start of the year, they almost instantly reignited their contention.

Whilst fighting back through the field at the Australian Grand Prix, Lawson encountered the Mexican driver, and a robust on-track fight ensued.

It was a similar case in the sprint at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve after he started at the back of the grid, but unlike after the battle in Melbourne, where he refused to be drawn in on the matter, Lawson made his feelings plainly clear in Montreal.

When asked about an incident between the two at Turn 13, which was not picked up on broadcast, he told media, including RacingNews365: "Obviously, trying to come through the field from the back, and I just have to be careful when racing him.

"He's quite aggressive, so in the end, he pushed me off, and I just decided not to race him anymore. It's not really worth it for no points. But yeah, seems to be a thing when I race with him."

Perez was ultimately punished for his actions with a 10-second time penalty, dropping him from P11 at the chequered flag to P14, with Lawson inheriting the position.

The official FIA stewards document confirmed: "Car 30 was attempting to overtake Car 11 on the straight before Turn 13. Car 11 moved to the right of the track, then moved back to the left, forcing Car 30 off the track.