Verstappen’s Spanish GP Outburst and Collision: 10-Second Penalty, Russell Says ‘It Was Deliberate!’

In the final stages of the Spanish Grand Prix, Red Bull driver Max Verstappen sparked controversy with a suspected “deliberate” collision. He was handed a 10-second penalty, dropping him to 10th place. After the race, Verstappen was defiant, refusing to discuss the incident and instead criticizing his team. Meanwhile, the victim, George Russell, insisted, “It was definitely deliberate.” The incident has ignited discussions within the paddock about the fairness of race penalties and Verstappen’s increasingly volatile mindset.

On the night of June 1st, during the second-to-last lap, Verstappen collided with Russell after the Red Bull team had ordered him to give back a position he had gained by using the escape road. Verstappen was furious, swearing over team radio and then lightly colliding with Russell’s car. Though the incident did not lead to major damage, it has drawn intense media attention.

After the race, Verstappen refused to admit fault, saying: “Does it matter? I’d rather talk about the race itself.” He also criticized Red Bull directly: “Our car was too slow today. All the weaknesses were exposed.”
Russell, on the other hand, was clear: “He definitely did it on purpose.” Former F1 driver Nico Rosberg also weighed in, calling the 10-second penalty too lenient: “It was clearly a retaliatory move. According to the rules, he should have been black-flagged.”