Max Verstappen admits ‘frustration’ following George Russell incident in Spanish Grand Prix

A heated moment from Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix led to the Red Bull driver receiving a ten-second penalty from race officials for causing a collision with George Russell. The penalty dropped Verstappen to P10 in the final classification, and the ensuing penalty points the Red Bull driver received now have him just one penalty point shy of a one-race suspension.

In a post on social media, Verstappen addressed the incident, outlining that “frustration” led to a “move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened:”

In the closing stages of Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli endured a power unit issue with his W16, and came to a stop in the gravel. As the drivers dove into the pits under the Safety Car, Verstappen emerged on a new set of hard tires, while the rest of his rivals fitted fresh softs.

That put Verstappen at a significant disadvantage on the restart.

While he was sitting third behind the McLaren pair of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, Verstappen immediately lost a spot to Charles Leclerc as those two came together along the main straight. Then Russell dipped inside of Verstappen at Turn 1, and the contact between those two sent Verstappen off the track.

Verstappen rejoined the track ahead of Russell, but Red Bull, believing that stewards might investigate the incident and decide Verstappen had left the track to gain an advantage, instructed their driver to give the place back to Russell. A frustrated driver aired his disagreement over the radio.

That is when this happened:

Verstappen now has 11 penalty points on his FIA Super License, one point shy of the one-race suspension. Drivers who receive 12 penalty points in a calendar year are suspended for one race, as Kevin Magnussen was ahead of last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The next points that expire on Verstappen’s FIA Super License are the two he received at last year’s Austrian Grand Prix for an incident with Norris. However, that means that Verstappen will need to navigate both the Canadian Grand Prix and the Austrian Grand Prix without incident, as those races both take place ahead of June 30, when the points from last year’s Austrian Grand Prix expire.

The next points to expire after that for Verstappen? The two he received for another incident with Norris, this time at last year’s Mexico City Grand Prix. Those expire on October 27.

“You can never guarantee anything,” said Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner after the Spanish Grand Prix. “He’s just got to keep his nose clean in the next couple of races. Then the first points come off at the end of June.”