The Grand Prix of Canada yielded an exciting battle between George Russell and Max Verstappen, but after the race it was a controversial incident under the safety car that attracted the most attention. Red Bull filed a protest against Russell’s victory, in which they labeled his driving behavior as “illegally” and unsporting. After a long deliberation, the FIA stewards rejected the protest, but George Russell still receives a punishment for his actions. This is good news for Max Verstappen, who retains his second place, while Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff shared his vision of the situation.
The race on the Gilles Villeneuve circuit was dominated by Russell, who left from pole position and retained the leadership. Verstappen followed in second place, but could not seriously threaten the Mercedes driver. The drama then started a collision between the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri brought a safety car on the track in the final phase. During this period, Russell suddenly braked the right piece vigorously, so Verstappen came shortly next to him and even drove for him. Verstappen immediately complained about the on -board radio: “George suddenly braked very aggressively.” His racing engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, replied that they would investigate the incident on possible irregular driving behavior.
Russell himself was also not quiet and reported about the radio that Verstappen had caught up with the Safetycar, which could be a violation of the rules. This seemed like a conscious attempt to bring Verstappen into trouble, especially since the Dutchman is already at eleven penalty points and an extra point would mean a racing suspension. Lambiase warned Verstappen: “That incident with Russell can now be seen on the images, Max, it is pretty clear. Don’t be dragged into this game, okay?”
After hours of consultation, the stewards rejected Red Bull’s protest, concluding that Russell’s driving behavior was not illegal. However, Russell received an official warning for his abrupt Remmaneuvre, which was considered potentially dangerous. In addition, Russell, together with Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri, were warned about catching up after the finish under SafetyCar circumstances, but this did not cause any further punishment. This means that Russell retains his victory, but the warning serves as a reminder that his actions were on the edge. This is good news for Verstappen: his second place remains intact, and he receives no extra penalty points, which means he avoids a suspension.
Toto Wolff, Mercedes team boss, responded to the incident with a moderate tone, which is unusual considering his often pronounced views. “I only heard after the race that Max was asked to let George pass, I didn’t know,” Wolff told the media, including Racingnews365. “During the race we thought Max had a problem with his car, so he was so slowly in turn 4.” Wolff fiddled hard criticism of Verstappen, but suggested that if the incident was a conscious action, it would not be acceptable. “If it was out of anger, what I can’t imagine because it was too clear, then that is not good. But I don’t know what Max was planning. Did he want George to pass and catch up immediately?”
Wolff’s reaction reflects his wider vision of top athletes such as Verstappen. He noted that “big champions sometimes think that the world is against them, which drives them to perform at the highest level.” He added: “Sometimes they do not see that they have made a mistake themselves. We have not seen this kind of moments at Max for years, so I don’t know where this comes from.” These comments suggest that Wolff Verstappen’s temperament understands, but he emphasized that Mercedes remains focused on their own performance.
The pronunciation of the FIA and the warning to Russell conclude a tumultuous Grand Prix from Canada. For Verstappen this offers some relief, while he continues his struggle for the championship. The rivalry between Russell and Verstappen, however, remains a source of tension, and with upcoming races in Europe, the Formula 1 world will look closely at how this dynamic develops further.
