Max Verstappen’s “body language” over the Spanish Grand Prix weekend hinted that the Red Bull driver’s anger was building long before his Spanish Grand Prix clash with George Russell.

That is the claim of Naomi Schiff, the Sky F1 pundit, who believes Verstappen looked “resigned” after qualifying in Barcelona having failed to challenge the dominant McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

Sky F1 pundit spots ‘resigned’ Max Verstappen body language at Spanish GP

Verstappen had an explosive end to last weekend’s Spanish GP with the four-time World Champion left confused by Red Bull’s decision to switch him to hard tyres during a late Safety Car period.

After catching a slide on cold tyres out of the final corner at the restart, Verstappen proceeded to make contact with Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari on the main straight before colliding with Russell at Turn 1.

Verstappen was incensed by Red Bull’s request to give the place to Russell to avoid a penalty, slowing on the approach to Turn 5 before accelerating and making firm contact with the Mercedes.

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The reigning four-time World Champion was hit with a 10-second penalty for the incident, dropping him from fifth to 10th in the final classification.

Verstappen was also handed three penalty points, putting him on the brink of a race ban.

Having initially shown little remorse for his clash with Russell, Verstappen later conceded that the incident “was not right and shouldn’t have happened.”

The Spanish GP was tipped as a potential “gamechanger” in the F1 2025 season due to the introduction of a new technical directive targeted at flexible front wings.

Despite some hoping that the competitive landscape of the season would be transformed, McLaren remained dominant in Barcelona with Piastri and Norris converting a front-row lockout into a third one-two finish of the campaign.

Schiff, who was present in Barcelona in her capacity as a Sky F1 pundit, believes Verstappen’s temper was flaring long before the incident with Russell after he was left “resigned” by his 0.302-second deficit to Piastri in Saturday’s qualifying session.

She said: “I actually think it already started [on Saturday].

“The body language of what he’s saying now [was there after qualifying].

“You could feel his energy in the post-qualifying interview.

“He felt resigned about where they [Red Bull] stood and that McLaren were above the rest.”

Schiff’s claim comes after PlanetF1.com revealed the role Verstappen potentially played in his own downfall in Spain, having called to be fitted with “fresh tyres” for the restart.

Verstappen entered Sunday’s race with just three sets of fresh tyres – one soft, one medium, one hard – remaining in his tyre allocation.

Having used the soft and medium compounds earlier in the race, the only fresh tyres had left when the Safety Car was called were a set of hards.

Although every team had struggled to switch on the hard tyre over the Spanish GP weekend, Red Bull still opted to fit the compound – notoriously difficult to warm up, particularly after a Safety Car period during which the cars run at a reduced pace – for the six-lap sprint to the finish.

It meant Verstappen was the only driver to use the hard tyre across the entire 66-lap race.

Untelevised team radio from the Spanish GP revealed how Verstappen was insistent on having fresh tyres for the restart, with no conversation taking place about the compound until after the hard had been fitted.

After the Safety Car had been called, Verstappen was heard asking: “Do we have another set of tyres? It will make a difference. Fresh tyres.”

His race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase replied: “OK, Max. Box and pit confirm. Strat 12 in pit lane. Box, pit confirm, strat 12 in pit lane.”

As Verstappen exited the pit lane after his stop, he expressed surprise at the choice of compound Red Bull had made for the restart.

Verstappen said: “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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With Verstappen just a single penalty point away from triggering an automatic one-race ban, PlanetF1.com understands that Red Bull are likely to turn to either Isack Hadjar or Liam Lawson, the Racing Bulls drivers, if the reigning World Champion is forced to miss a round.

Reports elsewhere had claimed that Amuyu Iwasa, the Honda-backed Japanese F2 driver, was likely to be called up in the event of Verstappen being banned.

However, PlanetF1.com has learned that such claims are wide of the mark with Hadjar and Lawson considered the leading contenders.

Hadjar has made an impressive start to his debut season and recorded a third successive points finish in Spain, seven days after securing a career-best result of sixth place in Monaco.

Lawson, meanwhile, was dropped by Red Bull after just two races of F1 2025 having struggled across the Australian and Chinese grand prix weekends.

It is understood that Lawson’s disappointing stint at Red Bull will be no barrier to a potential call up in Verstappen’s absence, with the New Zealander set to be given an equal opportunity to Hadjar to stake his claim for a call up.

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