Liam Lawson and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen were called to the stewards after clashing on track during the second practice session for the Mexico Grand Prix.
Verstappen tried to overtake Lawson during a flying lap, but the Racing Bull's driver didn't let him pass, leading to the four-time world champion veering off-track and bumping a curb.
The red flag was brought out, and the session was halted as crews cleared debris from the track.
“He just drove into me, man,” Lawson said over the radio.
“He literally just drove into me. Every weekend he plays this game. Check the side of my car.”
“I don’t know Liam,” his engineer replied. “Let’s stop in front of the garage and we’ll check the car."
Racing News 365 reported both drivers will be investigated and could face penalties as the cars were damaged in the scuffle.
However, Lawson completed FP2 in ninth, extending his consistent run in the top 10 in Mexico City.
The Kiwi finished less than 0.1 second behind British teammate Arvid Lindblad, who secured seventh after taking tenth place in the previous session.
Lawson was hopeful his string of good results would carry through the weekend, saying he felt confident despite Mexico's high altitude providing difficult conditions.
"Personally, I feel very good in the car at the moment so, overall, in a good headspace," he said.
"It’s gonna feel tricky here with the high altitude – it’s going to feel probably very strange for us driving it."
Despite his good result, an upset was the last thing Lawson needed, with his future in the sport under question.
The New Zealander is yet to finalise a contract for 2027 with Racing Bulls, and is up against Red Bull development driver Nikola Tsolov, who is currently second in the F2 championship.
Lawson said, unlike in the past, he wasn't focused on uncertainties – instead working on remaining reliable throughout the weekend.
"If I look back a year ago, I was probably thinking about it a lot and it was probably having an impact on how I was driving," he said.
"I actually don’t really think about it much at all, it's not really worth me thinking or worrying about, I’m just trying to keep the consistency going."
Tsolov borrowed Lawson's car for FP1, finishing twelfth in a modified lineup that included 10 reserve drivers and rookies.
The result was promising for the Bulgarian who, despite finishing outside of the top 10, wasn't far off the pace of Lindblad or the Red Bull of Isaac Hadjar.
Double firsts for Leclerc
Ferrari once again proved their speed in the practice sessions, with Charles Leclerc taking top spot on both occasions.
While the Monegasque driver is out of contention for the Drivers' Championship, Ferrari are fighting to defend second place in the Constructors' Championship, and track position will be crucial to hold off Red Bull.
Currently in third, Red Bull sit 119 points behind the Italian team on 355.
Unfortunately for Lewis Hamilton, he wasn't able to match Leclerc in either session, finishing fourth in FP1 and retiring the car early in FP2 following a power failure.
The breakdown came after the seven-time world champion told reporters he was "grateful" for Ferrari upgrades.
"Every upgrade we get is positive," Hamilton said.
"But of course the others are still very, very close – obviously the Mercedes is still a rocket."
Close competition this weekend may not be enough to hold off Kimi Antonelli, who could win the Driver's Championship on Monday's race if he finishes above tenth.
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