Liam Lawson admits that he was surprised by the Mexican motorsport federation's claim that he was responsible for the incident during the Mexican GP.

Though exonerated by the FIA, the stewards not having deemed the incident as being worthy of investigation, OMDAI Sport Mexico claimed the New Zealander was responsible for the near miss involving two marshals following his pit stop at the end of Lap 1.

Though its investigation is ongoing the FIA has cleared Lawson, however the RB driver remains confused by the reaction of the Mexican motorsport federation which laid the blame entirely at his door.

"I was very surprised," he told reporters in Brazil. "I think the FIA's statement was very clear and very accurate. I don't really need to say too much more than what was put in that statement.

"It was obviously checked into," he continued, "everything that led to that happening, to the fact that they got caught out there, and everything I did in the car to obviously slow down and avoid them, and take a completely different line to what I've taken through the entire weekend. But yes, I was extremely surprised. Still am very surprised."

Referring to the FIA, who he says apologised to him for the incident, he said: "I had a talk with them and I appreciated that a lot.

"I do understand we're in a sport with a huge amount of variables, and these things, as much as they can't happen again, they shouldn't happen," he added.

"There's always a possibility of something like this, and obviously what's most important is that the action is taken now to prevent it. So I didn't have a problem with any of that. It was just the statement that came out, trying to accuse me of doing something."