Rosberg questions Max Verstappen’s “lenient” Spanish GP penalty: “That’s a black flag”

Former Formula 1 driver Nico Rosberg has argued that the 10-second penalty handed to Max Verstappen for a collision with George Russell was “very lenient.”

In the latter stages of the Spanish Grand Prix, the Red Bull driver was involved in two collisions following the safety car. The first involved Charles Leclerc and is under investigation by the stewards. The second was with Russell. As the two drivers navigated Turn 1, Russell lunged down the inside, and although he was ahead at the apex and within the white lines, he lost control due to the dirty air produced by Leclerc’s Ferrari. As a result, Russell went into the side of Verstappen as he countered his oversteer.

The four-time champion was forced to use the escape road and came out ahead of the Briton. Red Bull later instructed Verstappen to let Russell pass to avoid a penalty – something the Dutchman was clearly unhappy about. Russell went for the overtake again at Turn 5, seemingly believing he was being allowed past, and this resulted in a collision between the two. 

Despite crossing the line in fifth, Verstappen was handed a 10-second penalty for the second collision with Russell which placed him down in 10th.

Speaking during the Sky Sports F1 broadcast, the 2016 F1 champion explained:

“The first one was George’s fault because he went in too hot, oversteered out and tapped Max who then had to use the escape road. That’s not the way to do the pass.

“Red Bull messed up by saying let George pass. That really annoyed Max because he knows George rammed him off.

“In Max’s eyes he’s like 100 per cent in the right. ‘Why are you telling me to do this, watch this I will show you what he did’, slowed down and rammed into him which is even worse. To slow down and ram into another driver is pretty bad.”

Commenting on the 10-second penalty, Rosberg added:

“That’s a very lenient one from my point of view. Remember Sebastian Vettel against Lewis Hamilton in Baku 2017.”

Rosberg felt that Verstappen should have received a black flag and a disqualification. He reiterated:

“It looked like a very intentional retaliation. Wait for the opponent, go ramming into him, just like you felt the other guy rammed into you at Turn 1.

“That’s something which is extremely unacceptable and I think the rules would be a black flag yes. If you wait for your opponent to bang into him, that’s a black flag.”