Hamilton reprimanded after Lawson impeding incident in Baku practice
Lewis Hamilton received a driver reprimand after an impeding incident involving Liam Lawson during FP2 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. Both drivers said the near-miss also highlighted concerns about high closing speeds linked to Formula 1's regulations and the 2026 power unit rules.
Hamilton was investigated after impeding Lawson during second practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, and the FIA stewards issued him a driver reprimand. Multiple reports described the moment as a near-miss, with some coverage characterising the situation as dangerous or severe.
After the session, Hamilton gave his account of the incident and said the problem was not the drivers' fault, instead pointing to Formula 1's rules. Lawson also described the moment as unfortunate and said the regulations are creating high closing speeds and a bad situation for drivers.
Coverage of the incident said it exposed a wider concern at Baku, particularly in relation to the 2026 power unit rules. The discussion around the reprimand therefore extended beyond the single practice incident to the safety implications of the current and future regulations.