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Steward call for Spanish Gp Race Ban following investigation on Verstappen’s pe…read more

Former Formula 1 driver and ex-FIA steward Johnny Herbert has added his voice to the growing chorus of criticism directed at Max Verstappen following a controversial collision with George Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix. The incident, which took place in the closing stages of Sunday’s race in Barcelona, has sparked debate over whether Verstappen deserved a harsher penalty—or even disqualification.

The clash occurred at Turn 5 after Verstappen was ordered by his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, to relinquish fourth place to Russell. This instruction followed Verstappen running off-track earlier in the race to retain his position. As Verstappen slowed to allow Russell through, he appeared to accelerate and made contact with the Mercedes driver shortly afterward.

Though Verstappen initially crossed the line in fifth, he was demoted to 10th place after receiving a 10-second penalty. However, critics argue this punishment was too lenient. 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg was among the first to suggest the Dutch driver should have received a black flag, which would have resulted in immediate disqualification. Johnny Herbert has now echoed this sentiment.

Speaking to RoobetAlternatives, Herbert said, “I completely agree with Nico Rosberg—Max deserved a black flag and disqualification. There comes a point where you have to clamp down on repeated behavior like this. He’s the most skilled driver out there with phenomenal racecraft, but incidents like this keep happening.”

Herbert suggested the collision with Russell was deliberate, claiming Verstappen tactically slowed down at the corner to create a chance to overtake Russell by forcing contact. “It was clearly intentional. He created the situation to regain the place by driving into Russell. That’s unacceptable,” Herbert stated.

This isn’t the first time Herbert has criticized Verstappen’s aggressive driving style. Last year, he remarked that Verstappen had a “horrible mindset” in wheel-to-wheel battles. Herbert now argues that Verstappen’s talent makes such behavior unnecessary. “Max doesn’t need to make moves like this. He has the ability to execute clean overtakes. This kind of driving feels more like he’s trying to make a point rather than win fairly.”

He also referenced past controversial moments in F1 history, likening Verstappen’s move to infamous incidents involving Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, and Jacques Villeneuve. “People forget, but Schumacher was banned for a season in 1997 for a deliberate crash. That kind of hard line might be necessary again if this sort of driving continues.”

Interestingly, it later emerged that Red Bull had been overly cautious in telling Verstappen to give back the position. Race officials confirmed he might have avoided a penalty altogether had he chosen to stay ahead of Russell. Some have speculated that Red Bull’s instruction stemmed from a previous incident in Saudi Arabia, where Verstappen received a penalty for cutting a corner to keep his lead.

After initially showing little remorse, Verstappen addressed the incident the following day on social media. “We had a good race in Barcelona until the safety car changed things. I let frustration take over and made a move that shouldn’t have happened,” he wrote. “I always give my all for the team, but emotions sometimes get the better of me.”

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner acknowledged Verstappen’s apology during the post-race debrief and even liked the driver’s public statement online.

Despite the apology, critics like Herbert insist that the 10-second penalty was insufficient to deter future misconduct. “It can’t just be treated like any other racing incident,” Herbert argued. “Crashing into another car on purpose is not just racing—it’s reckless. If this sort of behavior isn’t punished more severely, it sets a dangerous precedent.”

As the paddock looks ahead to the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, all eyes will be on how Verstappen respond

s—on and off the track.