Max Verstappen has admitted that his crash into George Russell’s Mercedes in the Spanish Grand Prix was “not right and should not have happened”, after he faced a swathe of criticism over his initial bullish response to the incident.
The former world champion Nico Rosberg said Verstappen should have been disqualified and Russell, who said he believed the move was deliberate, was unequivocal that if it were the case the world champion should have been disqualified.
After the race on Sunday, Verstappen answered questions about his intent with the dismissive reply: “Does it matter?”, and responded to Russell’s criticism by suggesting sarcastically that the Briton might need a tissue for his tears. But a day later, Verstappen took a somewhat more conciliatory tone on social media.
In a post he said: “We had an exciting strategy and good race in Barcelona, till the safety car came out. Our tyre choice to the end and some moves after the safety car restart fuelled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened.
“I always give everything out there for the team and emotions can run high. You win some together, you lose some together. See you [at the next race] in Montreal.”
Verstappen had found himself stymied on the wrong tyres after a late safety car in Barcelona and with what he admitted was frustration at the sequence of events, including losing places and concluding with him having to cede a place to Russell, he moved over for Russell and then accelerated back up the inside to strike the side of the Mercedes.
He was given a 10-second penalty for causing a collision, which the stewards deemed had “undoubtedly” been caused by his actions. He was also penalised with three points on his racing licence, moving him to 11. One more point at the next two races, in Canada or Austria, will result in an immediate one-race ban.
His on-track penalty dropped him to 10th place and he has fallen to 49 points behind the drivers’ championship leader, Oscar Piastri.
Responses from other drivers were generally guarded as they wanted to see what had happened in more detail but McLaren’s Lando Norris did compare Verstappen’s move as something he might try in Mario Kart. They are likely to be more forthcoming at the next round in Montreal, where the incident will undoubtedly be discussed at the drivers’ briefing.
Rosberg, on Sky Sports, was clear he felt it was unacceptable. “It looked like a very intentional retaliation,” he said. “Wait for the opponent, go ramming into him, just like you felt the other guy rammed into you at turn one. That’s something which is extremely unacceptable and I think the rules would be a black flag.”
The stewards investigated the incident immediately and issued the penalty at the time, so the four-time world champion will not receive any further sanction.
The Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, argued that it reflected Verstappen’s character. “The great ones, whether it’s in motor racing or in other sports, you just need to have the world against you and perform at the highest possible level,” Wolff said. “That’s why sometimes these greats don’t recognise that actually the world is not against you, it’s just you who has made a mistake or screwed up.”
During the early part of his career Verstappen was noted as being impetuous and overly aggressive but he has since developed into a more rounded driver. His dominant title wins in 2022 and 2023 were secured with an assured calm.
However, Verstappen has proved more volatile when pushed to the limit – as he was in 2021 by Lewis Hamilton, and during this season where he is fighting a far superior McLaren car.
