Sports
Liam Lawson unapologetic for aggressive driving vs. Sergio Perez
Oct 20, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team driver Liam Lawson (30) of Team New Zealand walks back to the paddock after the driver’s parade before the 2024 Formula One US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images The battle between Formula 1 drivers Liam Lawson and Sergio Perez has continued from the track into a war of words following last Sunday’s Mexico Grand Prix.
Adding to the drama, Perez drives for Red Bull Racing, and Lawson has just two races under his belt since his promotion as a full-time member to the sister team, RB.
Lawson, 22, of New Zealand, apologized for showing Perez — in his home event in Mexico — his middle finger while passing him during the race, but not for an earlier collision on Lap 19 at Turn 4 that damaged Perez’s car.
Perez, 34, thought Lawson was too aggressive, and so did Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko, who called it an unnecessary collision with Lawson more to blame for not giving Perez enough space through the turn.
“I had the maneuver into Turn 4 and then he was outside the track and just came straight like if there was no car,” Perez said. “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. It was a little bit too much.”
Lawson disagreed, explaining that’s just his style of driving.
“My attitude towards racing and how I approach races in Formula 1 won’t change, that’s how I’ll always be,” he said. “But at the same time, there’s things in there, if I make mistakes, I’ll always learn from them, and clearly in Mexico I made a mistake, and I’ll learn from it.”
Lawson apologized for the hand gesture, which he described as “one of those in-the-moment things.”
“(Perez) spent half the lap blocking me, trying to ruin my race, so I was upset,” Lawson said. “But it’s not an excuse. I shouldn’t have done it, and I apologize for that.”
Lawson, a reserve driver with RB since 2022, replaced veteran driver Daniel Ricciardo in September and made his Grand Prix debut at the U.S. Grand Prix on Oct. 20 in Austin, Texas. Lawson said he’s open to taking advice and not looking to make enemies.
“… That’s not the goal, obviously,” Lawson said, “but at the same time, I’m not here to make friends, I’m here to win.”
Lawson finished 16th, one spot ahead of Perez on Sunday.
“I don’t have any relationship with him,” Perez said after the race. “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.”
Perez said a new driver to F1 is “obviously very hungry” but also must be respectful on and off the track, which he believes Lawson has been lacking.
“I think he’s a great driver and I hope for him that he can step back and learn from it,” Perez said. “In his first two grands prix, he has had many incidents. I think there will be a point where it can cost him too much, like it did this weekend.
“I just think that he has to have the right attitude to say: ‘Look, probably I’m overdoing it a little bit, I will step back and start again.’ Because if you don’t learn from your mistakes, Formula 1 is a brutal world and he might not continue.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s two home runs power Yankees over Pirates
Jul 20, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) celebrates with teammates after hitting a three-run home run during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Jazz Chisholm Jr. homered twice as the New York Yankees produced one of their better showings at home of late in an 8-5 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
The Yankees won for the third time in their past 12 home games. New York scored its most runs in a home game since a 10-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on June 17 thanks to Chisholm, who also hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning in Sunday’s 2-1 win over the Dodgers in the nightcap of a doubleheader.
Chisholm homered in the first and third off Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft (9-4) and produced his 10th career multi-homer game.
He lifted a 1-1 curveball into the right field seats for a three-run homer that gave the Yankees a 4-0 lead after the Pirates committed two errors on Paul Goldschmidt’s grounder.
Chisholm gave the Yankees a 6-5 lead with a two-run drive off Ashcraft’s slider into the second deck that just stayed fair.
Chisholm’s second homer occurred after rookie Esmerlyn Valdez hit a 431-foot two-run home run that gave the Pirates a 5-4 lead in the top of the third. Valdez’s drive to right gave him an RBI in eight straight games and 13 homers in the first 32 games of his career.
Jose Caballero hit a two-run bases-loaded double in New York’s four-run third when it had six hits and Ben Rice scored when Pittsburgh left fielder Bryan Reynolds committed a throwing error after third baseman Nick Gonzales misplayed Goldschmidt’s grounder.
Jared Triolo hit a two-run double in the second and scored on an RBI single by Gonzales as the Pirates were unable to tie a season high by moving five games over .500.
New York’s Ryan Weathers allowed five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. The left-hander struck out five and walked two before four relievers followed.
Angel Chivili (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 innings and Fernando Cruz notched the final four outs for his second save of the season.
In the eighth, benches briefly cleared after Caballero hit an inning-ending double play against Dennis Santana. Santana started yelling at Caballero and was restrained by teammates Rafael Flores Jr. and Bryan Reynolds before order was restored after a few minutes without an ejection.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Milwaukee roughs up former Brewer Freddy Peralta, beat Mets
Jul 20, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz (3) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the New York Mets at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images Joey Ortiz had a three-run homer, and Andrew Vaughn and Cooper Pratt added solo shots to pace the Milwaukee Brewers to an 8-3 victory over the visiting New York Mets and former teammate Freddy Peralta on Monday in the opener of the three-game series.
Brewers starter Jacob Misiorowski, who skipped his last start before the All-Star break due to arm fatigue, allowed one unearned run before exiting after four innings and 65 pitches. Two of the four hits allowed by the hard-throwing right-hander were infield singles. He struck out six and walked one.
The National League Central-leading Brewers, who have opened the second half with four consecutive victories, scored five runs in the first three innings off Peralta (5-9), traded to the Mets in the offseason after eight seasons in Milwaukee.
Jackson Chourio drew a one-out walk in the first and Brice Turang followed with an RBI double. Garrett Mitchell’s two-out single scored Chourio for a 2-0 lead.
Pratt made it 3-0 in the second with his first career home run, sending an 0-1 pitch 393 feet to left-center.
The Mets responded with an unearned run in the third. Francisco Alvarez singled to open, advanced to third on an error by Vaughn at first base, and came home on a double-play grounder by Juan Soto.
Vaughn answered in the bottom half with his third homer following a two-out double by Mitchell to extend the lead to 5-1.
Ortiz made it 8-1 in the sixth with his fifth home run. Jake Bauers walked with one out and Pratt singled, chasing Peralta. Xzavion Curry relieved and Ortiz sent an 0-1 curveball 373 feet to left.
Peralta, facing his former team for the first time, was tagged for seven runs on eights hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking two in a 107-pitch outing.
Craig Yoho (2-0) followed Misiorowski with one scoreless inning. Veteran right-hander Lance McCullers Jr., acquired in a trade with Houston last week to bolster the Brewers injury-riddled staff, relieved and retired seven straight before allowing two runs in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
A'ja Wilson, Jackie Young guide Aces to rout of Tempo
Jul 20, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Tempo forward Maria Conde (10) controls the ball as Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young (0) tries to defend during the third quarter at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images After losing by 34 points in their previous game, the Las Vegas Aces returned to form in a 109-83 road win over the Toronto Tempo on Monday.
Veteran stars A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young scored 26 and 24 points, respectively, to power the Aces’ highest-scoring game of the season on a 45-of-78 shooting night (57.7%).
Wilson shot 11-for-14 from the field, and the four-time MVP added six rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots. Young was 10-for-17 shooting and contributed 12 assists to make it a double-double.
Las Vegas (18-7) never trailed after a 12-4 run to end the first period. The Aces shot 61% in the first half and built a 60-44 halftime edge before pushing the advantage as far as 28 points after intermission.
Wilson scored 19 of her points before halftime, and her bucket and foul shot with 24.7 seconds left in the second quarter gave Las Vegas its 16-point cushion.
NaLyssa Smith shot 9-for-10 en route to 18 points and five boards and Chelsea Gray tallied 14 points and seven assists. Jewell Loyd added 11 more points off the bench.
The Tempo struggled without head coach Sandy Brondello, who was suspended by the WNBA for the game due to inappropriate comments made about Atlanta forward Angel Reese. Brondello apologized for her remark and the Tempo were led for the evening by associate head coach Olaf Lange.
Toronto (10-16) has now lost seven of its last eight games. Isabelle Harrison matched Wilson with 26 points on 8-for-11 shooting and added 11 rebounds.
High-scoring guard Marina Mabrey had averaged 21.3 points per game coming in, good for third in the league among qualified players, but shot 5-for-21 Monday for 14 points. Maria Conde added 15 points and eight boards for the Tempo.
Reserve Nyara Sabally missed the game with a rib injury after scoring 16 points in Toronto’s previous game.
–Field Level Media
Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s two home runs power Yankees over Pirates
Milwaukee roughs up former Brewer Freddy Peralta, beat Mets
