Breaking: F1 stewards side with Max Verstappen after George Russell inc…read more
F1 Stewards Back Verstappen After Clash With Russell at Spanish Grand Prix
Controversy erupted at the Spanish Grand Prix after a dramatic incident between Max Verstappen and George Russell, with race stewards ultimately siding with Verstappen—despite his own team, Red Bull Racing, taking a different stance during the race.
The collision occurred late in the race as Verstappen, who was running in fifth place, made contact with Russell’s Mercedes. The Dutchman had been instructed by Red Bull to let Russell through, effectively surrendering fourth position. However, moments later, Verstappen appeared to make an aggressive move that led to a collision between the two drivers.
Although Verstappen initially remained ahead following the contact, the stewards issued a time penalty at the end of the race that saw him fall back to 10th place in the final classification. Despite the setback, Verstappen remained defiant in his post-race comments, stating that it was irrelevant whether the collision was deliberate or not. His comments added more fuel to the fire in what had already been a tense race weekend.
The incident wasn’t an isolated clash. Just a few laps earlier, shortly after a safety car restart, the two drivers had already come together at Turn 1. In that earlier incident, Verstappen ran off-track but managed to rejoin the circuit ahead of Russell, raising further questions about whether he had gained an unfair advantage by doing so. While that moment didn’t result in immediate penalties, it set the stage for the later, more serious incident.
Interestingly, during the race, Verstappen expressed over team radio that he felt Russell wasn’t giving him enough space. Red Bull, however, downplayed the situation at the time, advising their driver to maintain focus and comply with race instructions. Despite this, the race stewards ultimately supported Verstappen’s point of view, suggesting that the Mercedes driver had a role in the outcome of the collision.
The ruling highlights a growing tension not only between Verstappen and Russell but also raises questions about how much control teams have—or should have—over their drivers’ actions during high-pressure moments. As a result of the 10-second penalty, Verstappen lost valuable championship points and missed out on a top-five finish.
With the F1 season continuing to heat up, all eyes will be on how this rivalry develops in the coming races. The Spanish Grand Prix has undoubtedly added another chapter to the growing friction between Red Bull and Mercedes, and especially between their two ambitious drivers.
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