Verstappen accepts blame for controversial clash with Russell at Spanish GP
Max Verstappen has publicly accepted responsibility for his controversial collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, an incident that earned him a 10-second penalty and nearly a race ban. The Red Bull driver expressed frustration over tire choice and race restart maneuvers, admitting his move "was not right" and acknowledging that emotions ran high.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has openly admitted that his late-race clash with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix was "not right," a sentiment echoed by team principal Christian Horner, who revealed the world champion apologized to the team. The incident, which occurred with three laps remaining as the two battled for fourth place, saw Verstappen and Russell make contact at Turn Five shortly after Verstappen had been instructed to allow Russell to pass.
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Stewards swiftly penalized Verstappen with a 10-second time penalty, which ultimately dropped him from fifth across the finish line to 10th. Additionally, he received three penalty points on his super licence, bringing him to 11 points – just one shy of an automatic race ban. Russell, speaking to Sky Sports F1, described Verstappen's maneuver as feeling "deliberate" and "totally unnecessary," while former world champion Nico Rosberg suggested Verstappen should have faced a "black flag" for the incident.
Verstappen later took to Instagram to address the situation: "Our tyre choice to the end and some moves after the safety car restart fuelled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn't have happened." He added, "I always give everything out there for the team and emotions can run high. You win some together, you lose some together."
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Christian Horner supported his driver, explaining that the safety car emerged at the worst possible time for their strategy, forcing a difficult choice on tires. He confirmed Verstappen's apology in the debrief, acknowledging the frustration of losing valuable championship points and a likely podium finish.
The catalyst for the contentious final laps was a safety car period, initiated by Kimi Antonelli's stricken Mercedes, which bunched the field. Red Bull's subsequent decision to put Verstappen on hard tires—their only new set available—while most of his top-10 rivals opted for softs, severely compromised his grip. Following the restart, Verstappen experienced a major oversteer moment and had initial contact with Charles Leclerc.
The main flashpoint with Russell occurred at Turn One, where a touch led to Verstappen cutting the chicane. Despite his protests, Red Bull instructed him to yield the position, a decision that appeared to further fuel the reigning champion's frustration. This sequence culminated in the Turn Five collision, for which stewards found Verstappen responsible due to his "sudden acceleration" into Russell.
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Verstappen now trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by 49 points following the Spanish Grand Prix. Red Bull is focused on making car setup improvements for the upcoming race in Montreal.
