Sergio Perez believes Liam Lawson doesn’t hold the “right attitude” for Formula 1 and has urged Red Bull to talk to him about their clash in the Mexico City Grand Prix.
Perez was aiming to recover from a disastrous 18th position on the grid at his home venue when he collided with Lawson as he attempted a pass at Turn 4 on Lap 19.
The Mexican claimed the inside line and pushed Lawson wide, but the New Zealander managed to remain alongside the Red Bull and the two made contact at Turn 5.
Perez, who had been penalised five seconds due to being outside his grid box at the start, sustained substantial damage to his RB20 that wrecked his points chances.
Lawson then breezed past the ailing Red Bull later in the race on the straight towards Turn 4 and raised his middle finger as he stormed through en route to 16th place.
“It was looking good, we were already up to P10,” Perez recounted to media including Motorsport Week post-race at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
“I had a manoeuvre into Turn 4, and then he was outside the track and just came straight, like if there was no car.
“I think he could have avoided the incident but he just went back. Luckily I saw him and I opened the room, otherwise it would have been a massive crash.
“There was no need, we damaged both of our races. I think it was just a little bit too much, but I don’t think it’s his fault.
“He’s not getting any penalties as well. He did the same with Fernando [Alonso], with Franco [Colapinto] in the end. There are no penalties or none of his fault as well.”
The episode with Alonso that Perez alluded to came the previous weekend in the United States when the Spaniard took issue with Lawson’s tough racing in the Sprint.
READ MORE: Fernando Alonso and Liam Lawson clash over F1 US GP Sprint battle
With Lawson having brushed aside Alonso’s criticism, Perez has argued Daniel Ricciardo’s RB replacement has returned to F1 mid-season with the incorrect approach.
“I think I don’t have any relationship with him,” Perez retorted. “I think the way he has come to Formula 1, I don’t think he has the right attitude for it.
“He needs to be a bit more humble, you know. When [a] two-time World Champion was saying things last weekend, he completely ignored him.
“It’s like when you come to Formula 1, you’re obviously very hungry and so on, but you have to be as well respectful off-track and on-track.
“I don’t think he’s showing the right attitude to show a good pace for himself, because I think he’s a great driver and I hope for him that he can step back and learn from it.”
Lawson ‘racing out of control’
Lawson being put back onto the grid with Red Bull’s sister squad has come amid rumours that he is being assessed with a view to replacing the underpressure Perez.
Asked whether he thought Lawson raced him hard due to the Red Bull links, he replied: “He nearly crashed with Fernando last weekend, he nearly crashed with Franco.
“I think he’s just racing everyone out of control at the moment.”
Perez wants Red Bull to talk with Lawson
Perez has called on Red Bull to sit down with Lawson to ensure a repeat doesn’t occur as his scoreless round contributed to it dropping to third place in the standings.
“That’s none of my business, it’s up to them,” he answered when asked whether Red Bull boss Christian Horner needs to talk with Lawson.
“But today it cost Red Bull Racing a lot of points, so I think they should speak to him and have a go.”
READ MORE – Sergio Perez: Red Bull F1 brake problems caused disastrous Mexico qualifying
