The 2025 Spanish Grand Prix will go down in history as one of the most controversial races of the season, with Max Verstappen at the centre of a heated battle with Mercedes driver George Russell. After a tumultuous closing stages at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Verstappen accused Russell of deliberately “setting him up” during an overtaking manoeuvre that led to a collision, resulting in a heavy penalty for the Dutchman from the FIA. The four-time world champion, who now has 11 penalty points and is on the brink of a suspension, expressed his frustration at what he sees as unfair play from Russell, while the Formula 1 community remains divided over who is to blame.
The incident occurred in the closing stages of the race, following a safety car period caused by a crash by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli. Verstappen, who was running on hard tyres – a strategy that proved disastrous – struggled with a lack of grip. At the restart, Russell, on the faster soft tyres, attempted to pass Verstappen into Turn 1. Verstappen ran wide to maintain his position, prompting an instruction from Red Bull to give the position back to Russell to avoid a potential penalty. Verstappen’s anger was clear over the radio as he expressed his displeasure at the situation, accusing Russell of deliberately trying to get him into trouble.
At Turn 5, Verstappen appeared to cede the position to Russell, but in an unexpected move he accelerated, resulting in contact with the Mercedes. The stewards ruled that Verstappen was fully responsible for the collision and imposed a ten-second time penalty, along with three penalty points on his superlicence. This dropped Verstappen from fifth to tenth place, a bitter pill in his championship battle, where he now trails leader Oscar Piastri by 49 points. Verstappen’s post-race comments, in which he accused Russell of “cheating” by deliberately provoking him, have further increased tensions between Red Bull and Mercedes.
According to Verstappen, Russell’s move into Turn 1 was not only aggressive but also strategically designed to put him in a position where he was forced off the track, provoking the ensuing collision. “He knew exactly what he was doing,” Verstappen told the media, pointing to Russell’s experience and racing intelligence. “I felt like he was setting me up, and that’s not how you race fairly.” The allegations have sparked a storm of reactions, with former driver Nico Rosberg even calling for Verstappen to be disqualified, while others, such as Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, have blamed the hard tyre choice and ensuing chaos as the root cause.
Russell himself was outraged by Verstappen’s actions, calling the collision “bizarre” and unprecedented in Formula 1, comparing it to tactics more at home in sim racing. He stressed that Verstappen’s actions were unnecessary, as the Dutchman still had a chance of a podium finish. However, the FIA stewards were clear in their judgment: Verstappen’s action in Turn 5 was deliberate and deserved a severe penalty. Interestingly, they also concluded that Verstappen did not need to give up the position in Turn 1, further fueling Red Bull’s frustration at their own strategic miscalculation.
The aftermath of the incident has divided the Formula 1 community. Some support Verstappen’s claim that Russell’s aggressive driving put him in an impossible position, while others believe Verstappen’s response was irresponsible and damages his reputation as a good sporting driver. With the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix approaching, Verstappen is under immense pressure to avoid further incidents, as one more penalty point would earn him a race ban. His apology on social media, in which he admitted his actions “shouldn’t have happened,” was appreciated by some but seen as too late by others.
As the rivalry between Verstappen and Russell continues to simmer, the Formula 1 world is eagerly awaiting the next round of races. The FIA seems determined to crack down on unsportsmanlike conduct, and Verstappen will have to keep his temper in check to keep his title hopes alive. For now, the question remains: was Russell’s move a clever tactic or a deliberate provocation? The truth, as is often the case in Formula 1, lies somewhere in the grey area of competitive passion and calculated risks.
