Formula 1: Verstappen Admits His Move on Russell Was ‘Not Right’ After Spanish GP Collision

Max Verstappen, the defending Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion, found himself at the center of controversy following a tense on-track clash with George Russell during Sunday’s 2025 Spanish Grand Prix.

What started as a seemingly ordinary race took a dramatic turn when Kimi Antonelli’s sudden retirement due to a power unit failure brought out the safety car, shaking up strategies and race positions.

Verstappen, running a three-stop plan, pitted for a fourth time during the safety car period but had to switch to hard compound tyres. At the restart, Charles Leclerc swiftly overtook him, and in the heat of the moment, Verstappen made contact with Russell’s Mercedes—forcing the Dutch star off the track, only to rejoin ahead of the British driver.

When the Red Bull team instructed Verstappen to hand the position back, his frustration boiled over on team radio, and shockingly, he made contact with Russell again.

Reflecting on the incident, Verstappen posted on Instagram:

“We had an exciting strategy and a good race in Barcelona until the Safety Car changed everything. The tyre choice at the end and the moves after the restart fueled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened. I always give everything for the team; emotions run high. You win some together, you lose some together. See you in Montreal.”

Race stewards handed Verstappen three penalty points for the collision, adding to his existing tally and bringing him to 11 points—just one shy of the automatic race ban threshold. These penalty points roll over a 12-month period, with the earliest points due to expire by the end of June.

Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner urged Verstappen to stay clean on track as the team heads to the next crucial races.

“You can never guarantee anything. He just has to keep his nose clean in the next couple of races. Then the first points come off at the end of June,” Horner said.

With the Canadian Grand Prix and Red Bull’s home race in Austria looming, all eyes will be on Verstappen to see if he can steer clear of further incidents and avoid missing a race.