Two races into his return to Grand Prix racing, Kiwi driver Liam Lawson has chalked up two feuds with two Formula One veterans – and counting. Andrew Potter looks back at some of Formula One′s most toxic bust ups.
When: 1982
What: Canadian legend Gilles Villenueve accused Ferrari teammate Didier Pironi of double-crossing him at the San Marino Grand Prix.
Pironi was said to have ignored team instructions not to overtake Villeneuve, sneaking by to win. Afterwards, Pironi claimed there was no deal in place saying that he should stay behind, and the drivers had been free to race.
But Villenueve felt so betrayed he never spoke to Pironi again – and died in a crash qualifying for the next race in Belgium.
QUOTE: “He robbed me of a win.” – Gilles Villenueve
Lesson for Lawson: In Formula One, in almost every situation, it’s best to look after number one.
When: 1986-1987
What: 1980s legend Nelson Piquet joined the Williams team in 1986, having already picked up two championships with Brabham. His teammate was Nigel Mansell – and the pair couldn’t have been more different.
Piquet, from Brazil, was sophisticated, successful and mischievous. Mansell was an earnest battler from the English city of Birmingham, and his Formula One career had been a slow burn. Soon, they were fighting for supremacy on the track, with Piquet trying to destabilise Mansell off it – even going so far as to publicly suggest the Brit’s wife was unattractive.
During their acrimonious time together, Mansell was often ahead but was plagued by bad luck and injury, while Piquet departed Williams after winning the 1987 championship.
QUOTE: “He’s got all the ingredients to be a great person, it’s just that he chooses not to be.” – Nelson Piquet
Lesson for Lawson: There will be many provocations, but it’s best to keep it classy.
When: 1989-1990
What: McLaren had been Alain Prost’s team throughout the mid-80s, but the arrival of the ascendant Senna for 1988 led to whispers of mistrust, then outright warfare. Both drivers were in contention for the 1989 title when Prost sealed the deal for himself by turning into Senna at the final chicane of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Senna returned the favour a year later, ramming Prost off the road at the first corner of the same event to take the 1990 title.
QUOTE:
“Knowing me like he does know, he must realise if there was a gap, I was going to try and overtake him.” – Ayrton Senna
“[Senna] thinks that he can’t kill himself because he believes in God ... I think it is very dangerous for the other drivers.” – Alain Prost
Lesson for Lawson: The first driver you’ll be judged against is your teammate. Beating them is the number one priority.
When: 1992
What: Ayrton Senna would have been able to spot the emergence of a once-in-a-generation talent – he’d been one himself.
With Alain Prost on sabbatical, Senna’s competitive paranoia in 1992 was directed at Michael Schumacher, then in his second Formula One season. The German had publicly criticised Senna for gamesmanship at the Brazilian Grand Prix that year.
Then, at the French Grand Prix, Schumacher crashed into Senna on the first lap, taking the Brazilian out of the race. During a stoppage for heavy rain, Senna collared Schumacher, patronising him on the rules of the game in front of TV cameras.
A few weeks later, Senna had to be held back by mechanics from attacking Schumacher after a mix-up on track during testing in Germany. Senna would die trying to stay ahead of Schumacher in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, depriving the sport of a legendary talent and also a feud for the ages, which was near certain to have exploded between the pair.
Quote: “I wouldn’t have expected this style of driving from a three-time world champion.” – Michael Schumacher
Lesson for Lawson: Formula One isn’t a finishing school and results are expected from day one, so it’s never too early to upset a multiple Formula One champion (like Senna, or Fernando Alonso ... )
When: 1993
What: Eddie Irvine was making his debut for the Jordan team at the 1993 Japanese Grand Prix.
In damp conditions, the Northern Irishman had been lapped by race leader Ayrton Senna. Irvine had done much of his junior racing in Japan, and figured he knew his way around the Suzuka Circuit better than the legendary Brazilian, so casually re-passed Senna.
The Brazilian great eventually won the race, with Irvine finishing with a point on debut in sixth. But it wasn’t over. Senna was outraged by Irvine’s insolence, so tracked him down in the pits after the race and punched him in the head.
Quote: “You’re not a racing driver, you’re a f***ing idiot!” – Ayrton Senna to Irvine.
Lesson for Lawson: Formula One isn’t a finishing school, and results are expected from day one, so it’s never too early to upset a multiple Formula One champion (like Senna, or Fernando Alonso ... )
When: 1994-1995
What: The death of Ayrton Senna in May 1994 saw Briton Damon Hill unexpectedly thrust into the global spotlight as Williams team leader.
Hill was one point behind Benetton’s Michael Schumacher going into the season finale in Adelaide. Under pressure from Hill, Schumacher slithered off the track and hit a wall.
Schumacher then appeared to deliberately crash his car into Hill, taking them both out, but guaranteeing the German his first title. Schumacher’s reputation as one of Formula One′s dirtiest champions was born that day.
The beef spilled into 1995, with numerous skirmishes, including Hill ramming Schumacher out of two races, but Schumacher took a second title.
Quote: “I think I gave him a good run for his money and he was certainly feeling the pressure because he ended up falling off the road.” – Damon Hill
Lesson for Lawson: Some competitors will throw the rulebook out the window when the pressure is on (see Verstappen against Norris in Mexico ... )
When: 2007
What: Liam Lawson wasn’t the first quick rookie to get under Fernando Alonso’s skin.
In 2007, the Spaniard joined McLaren, having just won his second title for Renault. Alonso was partnered with a Formula One novice called Lewis Hamilton and expected to have no trouble outperforming the 22-year-old Brit, but it didn’t work out that way. Hamilton was immediately on Alonso’s pace and took an astonishing nine podiums in his first nine Formula One races.
By the Hungarian Grand Prix, a little gamesmanship in qualifying from Hamilton triggered a spectacular meltdown from Alonso, who effectively tried to blackmail his own team by threatening to expose them for stealing secrets from their arch-rival, Ferrari, unless team management slowed down Hamilton.
Alonso’s contract with McLaren was ripped up after one season and Hamilton went on to win his first driver’s title for the Kiwi-founded team in 2008.
Quote: “I don’t think we will be friends in the future” – Fernando Alonso
Lesson for Lawson: A very successful teammate is likely to be very, very unhappy if they start to be beaten by someone younger driving the same car for the same team. (Think Verstappen, in 2025 ... )
When: 2007
What: McLaren boss Ron Dennis and FIA president Max Mosley had a beef going back decades.
It came to a head after McLaren were found guilty of taking hundreds of pages of design information from a disgruntled Ferrari employee. Mosley, son of British fascist leader Sir Oswald Mosley, immediately turned the screws on Dennis, fining McLaren a staggering US$100 million (now $167m) and throwing them out of the 2007 Constructors’ Championship.
The team’s drivers, Alonso and Hamilton, remained at war, but got to keep their points.
Quote: “$5 million for the offence and $95 million for Ron being a twat” – Max Mosley
Lesson for Lawson: Formula One is incredibly political, with rival team bosses (and sometimes the sport’s top administrators) constantly seeking an advantage. This is a distraction for a driver.
When: 2010
What: In his ninth Formula One season, Aussie veteran Mark Webber finally found himself in a championship-contending car.
But his timing was terrible. Across the garage in the other Red Bull was the team’s protege, Sebastian Vettel. The German was 11 years younger than Webber – and often faster – and the pair found themselves in direct competition for their first championships.
They collided in Turkey while racing for the lead, then in the run-up to the British Grand Prix, Webber complained that the team were taking upgraded parts from his car and fitting them to Vettel’s, in what he saw as blatant favouritism.
In the end, Webber’s campaign faded and he’d never be in title contention again. Vettel took the first of four straight championships – all scored with Webber driving the same car for the same team.
Quote: “Not bad for a number two driver.” – Mark Webber
Lesson for Lawson: A driver needs to stand up for themselves inside a team, especially when paired with a teammate with a big personality and reputation (like Verstappen).
When: 2021
What: Lewis Hamilton was at the zenith of his career, having won six titles in the previous seven years for Mercedes, becoming Sir Lewis Hamilton for his achievements that December.
For 2021, the competition from Max Verstappen was much closer, and notable for its gloves-off aggression and year-long intensity. This culminated in Hamilton refusing to back off as he tried to overtake Verstappen on the first lap of the British Grand Prix, putting the Dutchman hard into the barriers, which required a trip to hospital.
The pair took each other out of the Italian Grand Prix too, and a litany of close calls between them meant the atmosphere was toxic as they went into the final race at Abu Dhabi on equal points.
A bungled call by Aussie race director Michael Masi allowed Verstappen to take the win and his first title, and denied Hamilton a record-breaking eighth. Verstappen has won every championship since then.
Quote: “Was I robbed? Obviously.” – Sir Lewis Hamilton
Lesson for Lawson: Life at the top can sometimes be very unfair.
When: 2024
What: Remarkably, after only two races back in Formula One, Liam Lawson has had bust-ups with every Spanish-speaking driver on the 2024 grid.
Lawson’s uncompromising attack and defence got firmly under the skin of Fernando Alonso over the US Grand Prix weekend. In Mexico, race leader Carlos Sainz angrily called for Lawson to be penalised for ignoring blue flags while being lapped.
Then the Kiwi had his front wing taken off during a wheel-banging episode with Argentine Franco Colapinto. But the most spectacular beef erupted when Lawson robustly defended against Sergio Perez, damaging the Mexican’s Red Bull car – despite it being a stablemate of the RB team.
Perez was left fuming, raising pointed questions about Lawson’s attitude. Lawson looks increasingly likely to take Perez’ seat at the senior team next year, so this is one feud that has no chance of a peaceful resolution – with Perez looking unlikely to be in the sport at all.
Quote: “I don’t have any relationship with him.” – Sergio Perez
Lesson for Lawson: Ruffling the feathers of a quarter of the grid is a great way to announce you’re back at motorsport’s top table, but beware of lingering retribution.
The Kiwi has three races left to earn a contract for 2025.