Max Verstappen was handed a 10-second time penalty after colliding with George Russell in the dramatic final laps of the Spanish Grand Prix – reigniting tensions between two of Formula One’s most combustible rivals.
The incident occurred with just three laps to go, after Verstappen was instructed via team radio to let Russell through, having gained an advantage earlier in the race.
Verstappen was reluctant, telling his team: ‘No, no, no, no.’
However, he eventually appeared to comply by moving off-line at Turn Four, but he then braked late and locked up his front-right tyre, making contact with the side of Russell’s Mercedes as the Brit attempted to pass.
Russell was left stunned, immediately yelling ‘What the f*?’* over team radio – a reaction that drew added attention given his previous criticism of FIA attempts to clamp down on swearing during live broadcasts.
Race stewards immediately launched an investigation and, after reviewing the footage, handed Verstappen a 10-second penalty for causing a collision.
After the sanction, the reigning world champion finished 10th, with Oscar Piastri taking the chequered flag for McLaren.
Max Verstappen (right) and George Russell (left) collided during Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix
Verstappen initially refused to let Russell past when asked to do so by his team over the radio
But Verstappen later appeared to comply, only to then brake late and lock up his front-right tyre, making contact with his rival as he attempted to pass him on the outside of a bend
Reacting to the incident in a post-race interview with Sky Sports, Russell said: ‘I was as surprised as you guys probably were.
‘I have seen those kind of manoeuvres before on simulated games and in go-karting but never in Formula One.
‘Ultimately, we came home in P4 and he came home in P10, so I don’t really know what was going through his mind. It felt deliberate in the moment.’
Verstappen then gave a very spiky interview to Sky. The opening question asked whether his move on Russell had been intentional and he replied: ‘Does it matter?’
After the interviewer suggested that it did indeed matter to the fans, Verstappen sarcastically added: ‘OK, that’s great. I prefer to speak about the race than one single moment.’
When it was put to him that his 10th-place finish had damaged his hopes of retaining his crown as world champion, he hit back: ‘If there are any. I think we are way too slow anyway to fight for the title. I think that was clear again today.’ Sunday’s result left Verstappen 49 points behind leader Piastri in the drivers’ standings.
The interview ended with the reporter again probing Verstappen about the collision with Russell. It was put to Verstappen: ‘We all see what an incredible driver you are and it is horrible to see that shine taken off.’
He shrugged his shoulders and replied: ‘Is it? Yeah, OK, that’s your opinion. We’ll leave it there.’
Verstappen did not look impressed after having to settle for 10th place in Sunday’s Grand Prix
Sunday’s clash between Verstappen and Russell was the latest flashpoint in a frosty relationship between the two drivers.
Their rivalry first began simmering in 2022 when Russell passed Verstappen in damp conditions at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, leading to complaints from the Dutchman about aggressive driving. But it truly boiled over at the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix sprint race, where the pair collided on the opening lap.
Verstappen, who was left with a hole in his sidepod, furiously confronted Russell in parc ferme afterwards, calling him ‘a princess’ and sarcastically telling him: ‘Expect the same next time.’
Russell defended his move, insisting Verstappen should have left more space and accusing the Red Bull star of ‘losing his head.’
Tensions remained high throughout the season, eventually culminating in a war of words after the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix. Verstappen was penalised for impeding Russell during qualifying, prompting the Dutchman to claim he had ‘lost all respect’ for his rival.
Speaking ahead of the 2024 campaign, Russell was unrepentant. ‘I’ve got no intentions [to speak with him], to be honest,’ he told BBC Sport.
‘That happened last year. I want to focus on myself. We are not going to go back to being best mates, that’s for sure.’
Asked whether he would alter his approach in wheel-to-wheel battles, Russell added: ‘No concerns about him or his driving. I’m not going to change my approach fighting him or other drivers.’
Russell (right) and Verstappen, pictured side by side at last month’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, have previously clashed on multiple occasions and are seemingly not the best of friends
After Sunday’s race, Russell — who finished fourth — said of his collision with Verstappen: ‘I don’t really know what was going through his mind. It felt deliberate in the moment’
It was not only Russell who found himself in Verstappen’s bad books on Sunday.
Earlier in the race in Barcelona, the Red Bull driver also clashed with Charles Leclerc, making contact as they jostled down the start-finish straight. Verstappen claimed over team radio: ‘He rammed into me. That’s a penalty!’
His frustrations were compounded by a controversial tyre call during the final safety car period, with Red Bull putting him on hard tyres while McLaren opted for softs. ‘Why are we on a hard?’ Verstappen asked. His engineer replied: ‘That was the only option.’
Verstappen’s driving didn’t just frustrate Russell – it drew ridicule from others in the paddock too.
In the post-race cooldown room, Lando Norris watched a replay of the clash and quipped: ‘I’ve done that before… in Mario Kart.’
The line left McLaren team-mate Piastri in stitches.
