Untelevised team radio footage from the Spanish Grand Prix has unearthed the moment Max Verstappen appeared to inadvertently trigger his own downfall behind the Safety Car.

It came as the Red Bull driver called to be fitted with “fresh” tyres for the restart, setting in motion his chaotic end to the race in Barcelona.

Untelevised Max Verstappen team radio reveals influence behind hard tyre switch

Verstappen had been a threat to the lead McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris in Spain until a late Safety Car turned his race upside down.

The reigning four-time World Champion was left aghast by Red Bull’s decision to switch him to hard tyres for the restart, leaving him looking behind rather than ahead when the race resumed.

Verstappen caught a dramatic slide on the exit of the final corner on cold tyres at the restart before making slight contact with Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari on the pit straight.

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Having lost third place to Leclerc, Verstappen collided with Russell moments later as the Mercedes driver attempted to capitalise on the situation with the Red Bull taking to the run-off area.

Verstappen was annoyed by Red Bull’s request to give the position to Russell, initially slowing on the approach to Turn 5 before speeding up and making firm contact with the Mercedes.

Verstappen was given a 10-second penalty for the clash, dropping him from fifth to 10th in the final classification.

He was also given three penalty points on his superlicence, putting him one away from triggering a race ban.

Untelevised team radio from Spain, heard by PlanetF1.com, has shed new light on Verstappen’s influence behind the call to switch to hard tyres ahead of the restart, with the Dutchman insistent on having “fresh” tyres for the sprint to the finish.

When the Safety Car is called after Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s retirement on Lap 55, Verstappen is heard telling Red Bull that a new set of tyres “will make a difference” when the race eventually resumes.

Verstappen’s race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase tells his driver: “Safety Car deployed, Max. Safety Car deployed. Dash positive, dash positive.

Verstappen replies: “Do we have another set of tyres? It will make a difference. Fresh tyres.”

Lambiase adds: “OK, Max. Box and pit confirm. Strat 12 in pit lane. Box, pit confirm, strat 12 in pit lane.”

Verstappen entered the Spanish Grand Prix with three sets of new tyres – one soft, one medium, one hard – left in his allocation.

Having used his fresh softs and mediums earlier in the race, it meant the hard compound was the only fresh option available to Verstappen for his final pit stop.

However, all teams had experienced trouble switching the hard tyre on throughout the Spanish GP weekend with the compound considered one to avoid at all costs on race day.

Verstappen was the only driver to use the hard tyre across the entire 66-lap race, with the World Champion left bemused when he realised the team had turned to it for the final six laps.

Upon Verstappen’s exit from the pit lane after his stop, Lambiase says: “Strat 3 please, Max. White line on the exit. Strat 3, white line on the exit.”

Verstappen: “Er, what the f**k are we? What is this tyre?”

Lambiase: “That’s the hard tyre, Max.”

Verstappen: “Why? Why are we on a hard?”

Lambiase: “That was the only option.”

Verstappen: “Did somebody run it in the race?”

Lambiase: “Negative.”

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In a statement on Monday, team principal Christian Horner revealed that Verstappen apologised to the team during Red Bull’s post-race debrief.

And despite suggestions that Verstappen should have gambled by staying out under the Safety Car, Horner defended the team’s strategy choice at the end of the race, insisting it was “the best decision at the time.”

He said: “Spain closes out the triple header and we leave Barcelona frustrated that we didn’t take more from the race.

“As a team we attacked on the three stop which was the better strategy and it was only the safety car which had us over.

“We would never have been as close to Lando [Norris] if it wasn’t for the three stopper.

“The safety car came out at the worst possible time for our strategy, we had the choice to stay out on older tyres or take the gamble with a new set of hard tyres.

“Hindsight is always 20/20, but we made the best decision at the time with the information we had.

“The result that followed was frustrating as it was looking to be an easy podium for Max and good Championship points.”

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