Max Verstappen’s late clash with George Russell was the talking point of the Spanish Grand Prix after he showed a little too much aggression and made contact.
The Red Bull driver was dealt a tough hand at the safety car restart, with a set of new hard tyres to defend from those on softs around him. Verstappen nearly flew into the wall at the final corner before running wide at turn one as he battled to hold position.
His turn one off was forced by George Russell’s dive up the inside, which his team felt warranted a position swap, asking him to do so on the radio to avoid a penalty after. He wasn’t best pleased with the idea, and hit the side of Russell while letting him past, receiving a stern punishment after the Spanish Grand Prix.
The 10-second penalty and three penalty points won’t have bothered him as much as losing points in the drivers’ championship race. Verstappen apologised in Red Bull’s post-race debrief, aware that he had left plenty of points on the table on Sunday.
One day later, F1 fans praised what Verstappen said about Russell and their fight, after he took to social media to take the blame for the incident. Now, he’s just one similar clash away from an automatic one-race ban.
READ MORE: Max Verstappen fans think he’s entering his ‘villain era’ after hearing one answer from his Spanish Grand Prix interview
Helmut Marko reveals what Max Verstappen’s Red Bull data said about George Russell clash
Some could see the funny side in the matter, with Lando Norris making a hilarious seven-word comment at Verstappen’s move after the race. He said he had produced similar actions on Mario Kart before.
On the defence side of things, Helmut Marko’s comments showed Red Bull will do whatever it takes for Verstappen to stay in the long term. The Red Bull advisor felt that he had just shown emotion before seeing any replays.
Speaking in detail a little after with Servus TV, Marko shared what Verstappen’s data indicated about the contact he made with Russell.
“It was all very tight – the ten-second penalty had more drastic effects. He did not want to return the place at first, but then came the announcement that he should do it,” he said.
“Russell braked too late and Max had to dodge. Max then said ‘no’ because of the return of the position, but we said the risk is too great.
“Max has left the gas, you can see that exactly on the telemetry, and then is back on the gas. That was a misjudgment – then of course the devil was loose!”
READ MORE: F1 fans share the ‘clear’ penalty they think Max Verstappen should have received after ‘absurd’ end to the Spanish GP
Nico Rosberg thinks that Max Verstappen has ‘traumatised’ Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris
Nine races into the Formula 1 season, and there have been plenty of talking points and battles to look back on so far.
Championship leader Oscar Piastri has received his first real taste of what it’s like to lead from the front and have a real weight of expectation on his shoulders. He has responded very well for McLaren.
However, Nico Rosberg thinks Verstappen has ‘traumatised’ Piastri and Norris by being so forward-thinking during race starts. He’s not afraid to send a lunge up the inside.
That’s inevitably going to create a margin for him, which means he can afford to go for a gap that he might not usually, because both McLaren drivers are aware that he isn’t afraid to send it.
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