Untelevised team radio footage from the Canadian Grand Prix has revealed how Max Verstappen and George Russell both tried to land each other in trouble behind the Safety Car.

Russell claimed his and Mercedes’ first victory of the F1 2025 season in Montreal on Sunday, dominating from pole position with Verstappen second and Russell’s team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli third.

How Max Verstappen vs George Russell played out over Canadian GP team radio

The one-two finish for Russell and Verstappen came two weeks after the pair were embroiled in an ugly incident at the Spanish Grand Prix, where a penalty left the Red Bull driver on the brink of a race ban.

With Verstappen on 11 penalty points for the current 12-month period, another penalty point in Canada would have triggered an automatic one-race ban for Red Bull’s home race in Austria later this month.

After claiming pole position in Montreal on Saturday, Russell quipped that he would use Verstappen’s situation to his own advantage, commenting: “We’re mates so it’s all good. I’ve got a few more points on my licence to play with!”

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It has since emerged that Red Bull approached FIA race director Rui Marques ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix, warning him to watch out for Verstappen’s rivals “goading” him on track.

The collision between McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris on Lap 67 of 70 saw the race end under Safety Car conditions, bunching up Verstappen and Russell at the end of the race.

And untelevised footage from the closing laps of the Canadian Grand Prix have unearthed the lengths both drivers went to in their attempts to land the other a penalty.

Verstappen’s efforts to get the Safety Car to increase its pace led to him briefly overtaking Russell on the back straight on Lap 68, with Verstappen and Russell flagging the incident to their respective race engineers Gianpiero Lambiase and Marcus Dudley.

The incident was later at the centre of a post-race protest by Red Bull, who accused Russell of driving erratically behind the Safety Car. The protest was rejected with Russell keeping the win.

The full exchange between the drivers and their engineers on Lap 68 went as follows:

Verstappen: “The Safety Car is driving really slow, what is he doing?”

Verstappen: “George suddenly just aggressively braked.”

Lambiase: “Understood, thank you. I will check for any erratic driving.”

Lambiase: “We can see that on our data as well, Max. Thank you for the info.”

Russell: “Verstappen just overtook me under the Safety Car.”

Dudley: “Understood, we’ll look.”

With debris on the pit straight following the incident between Norris and Piastri, the Safety Car steers the field through the pit lane to minimise the risk of punctures.

Although the lead driver is required to be no more than 10 car lengths behind the Safety Car at any time, Russell is seen easing his pace significantly at the exit of the pit lane at the start of Lap 69.

This moment would become an additional element of Red Bull’s protest against the race result, with team principal Christian Horner – who hinted that Russell had a “clear objective” to get Verstappen penalised in Canada – claiming the Mercedes driver was “well in excess” of the permitted 10 car lengths.

Verstappen was quick to spot Russell’s potential transgression, with the Mercedes driver arguing that he was merely following the delta time on his dashboard.

Verstappen: “There’s more than 10 car lengths also there.

Lambiase: “OK. Well, we’ll check that as well. Thank you.”

Russell: “I was following the delta It was plus, er, it was negative.”

Dudley: “Push to catch the Safety Car now.”

Russell: “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

Lambiase: “Yeah, that incident with Russell now being shown on the feeds, Max. That’s pretty blatant.”

Lambiase: “Just don’t fall for the gamesmanship, OK? Thank you.”

Lambiase: “Safety Car through the pit lane, Max.”

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Russell once again drops back behind the Safety Car at the pit exit on Lap 70, the final lap of the race, with Verstappen highlighting it for a second time.

Lambiase is heard congratulating Verstappen for remaining calm in the situation, with his race engineer also telling the Red Bull driver to resist the temptation to pass Russell for the lead on the approach to the finish line.

Dudley: “This is the final lap, so Safety Car delta.

Russell: “I’ve got the yellow flag delta again on my… just following the delta. The Safety Car is pulling away from [me], but delta. The yellow flag delta.

Verstappen: “Again, more than 10 car lengths. What is he doing?

Lambiase: “Thank you.

Verstappen: “Way more than 10. Look at this!

Lambiase: “Er, yes. Thank you, Max. We’ll have a look. Cheers, mate.

Lambiase: “This is final lap, Max. And well done for keeping your head for the moment.

Lambiase: “OK, Max, so Safety Car is coming in. And you will stay out and finish the race on the main straight.

Lambiase: “No overtaking, Max. No overtaking, Max. Even after the flag.

Lambiase: “No overtaking, Max. No overtaking.”

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