Max Verstappen and George Russell were “two footballers asking for a yellow card” at the Canadian Grand Prix, Dutch pundit Robert Doornbos even calling out Verstappen for making an “elephant out of a mosquito”.

Formula 1 couldn’t have asked for a better front row line-up for the Canadian Grand Prix as controversial Spanish GP protagonists Russell and Verstappen qualified 1-2.

Football dramatics at the Canadian GP

The much-talked-about fireworks on the opening lap did not materialise as Russell stormed into the lead ahead of Verstappen, and so the race played out.

But while it looked as if the two would end first and second without any drama, Lando Norris set the scene for a flashpoint as he clattered into the back of his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri’s McLaren.

Norris retired from the race, his afternoon ending with his McLaren in the wall along the pit straight, which lead to the Safety Car being deployed.

As Russell and Verstappen ran 1-2 behind Bernd Maylander, Russell hit the brakes on the back straight en route to the chicane. That resulted in Verstappen flying past him as the Red Bull driver was caught unaware.

Russell was immediately on the radio to report that Verstappen had overtaken him in Safety Car conditions, with the Dutchman speaking to Red Bull to defend himself.

Russell: “Verstappen just overtook me under the Safety Car.”
Verstappen: “George suddenly just aggressively braked.”

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The stewards opted against an investigation, but Red Bull felt Russell’s actions showed ‘unsportsmanlike intent’ and launched a protest against the Canadian Grand Prix winner that was rejected by the stewards.

Ziggo Sports’ pundits, however, still questioned the Mercedes driver’s antics.

“It’s a bit challenging, but when you see how hard Russell brakes…” said Formula 2 driver Richard Verschoor.

Presenter Shelly Sterk went on to ponder if, as Red Bull team boss Christian Horner alluded to, Russell was trying to get Verstappen hit with a penalty point that would result in a race ban for the Red Bull driver.

“It looked a bit like that,” she said, “when you see how hard Russell braked, exactly when Verstappen was driving behind him on the right. Max wasn’t that angry about it at all. I’ve also seen him differently, so I thought that was striking.”

But former F1 driver Doornbos reckons both drivers acted like football players trying to get the other into trouble.

“It can be compared to two footballers asking for a yellow card,” Doornbos said on De Stamtafel on Ziggo.

“You know you have to play it like that, because the FIA listens in on the onboard radios. Max was very clear and called it erratic driving.”

Verstappen, though, he says was trying to make a mountain out of a molehill as the race leader always dictates the pace behind the Safety Car.

“[But] In the end, the leader in the race decides,” he continued. “If the leader decides to warm up his brakes, you have to be alert.

“Max drove next to it, and overshot a bit.

“I think you make an elephant out of a mosquito. What do you want to achieve then? Russell wins the race. That is his first victory of the season. I don’t think he wanted to sew on Max’s ear.”

As for Red Bull’s protest, the Dutch pundit swatted that like one does a mosquito.

“This is not part of the sport,” he said. “This is a waste of time.”

But according to Renger van der Zande it was all about the tone.

“I think the difference with how Russell says it is striking,” he said. “Russell sounds like a snitch, and how Verstappen says it is just: this happened, that wasn’t quite the intention’, he tries to indicate that Verstappen was not too worried, but just indicated what was going on.”

Red Bull’s protest was rejected and Russell retained the win, closing the gap just 19 behind Verstappen in the fight to join the McLaren team-mates on the F1 2025 season’s podium.

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