{'I could have killed them' - Lawson experiences close call with Formula 1 track officials

Formula 1 competitor Liam Lawson revealed he came dangerously close to a life-threatening collision during Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix when a pair of track officials ran across the track directly in front of him

The alarming incident took place on the third rotation when marshals were spotted on the circuit as Lawson was returning to the race following an early pitstop to swap his broken nose section

Driver's Immediate Reaction

Shortly afterward, the team's competitor Lawson communicated to his pit wall engineer saying: "Are you kidding me? Did you just see that? I might have... taken their lives"

"I genuinely couldn't process what I was seeing"

"I exited on a new set of hards, and then I approached Turn One and there were just two guys running across the track"

"I almost collided with one of them, truthfully, it was extremely hazardous"

Track Safety Questioned

"Evidently there's been a communication breakdown somehow but I've never encountered that before, and I haven't really seen that in the past. It's pretty unacceptable"

"We can't understand how on a active circuit safety personnel can be authorized to just sprint across the track in that manner. I don't understand the reason, I'm confident we'll get some sort of explanation, but it really can't happen again"

Formal Inquiry in Progress

Formula 1's governing body, the FIA, is thoroughly reviewing the situation

"After an occurrence at turn one, track officials was notified that fragments were located on the track at the apex of that corner" commented the regulatory authority

"On lap three, marshals were informed and made ready to enter the track and recover the debris once the entire field had cleared the area"

"Immediately when it was understood that Lawson had pitted, the orders to send marshals were rescinded and a safety warning flag was shown in that zone"

"The examination is ongoing what happened subsequent to that time"