George Russell Claims Max Verstappen Deliberately Crashed Into Him During Spanish Grand Prix

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George Russell expressed his belief that Max Verstappen deliberately collided with him during the Spanish Grand Prix. He remarked that he had never witnessed such a move in Formula One. The race, held in Barcelona, saw Oscar Piastri leading Lando Norris in a McLaren one-two finish, with significant drama unfolding behind them after a late safety car intervention.

The safety car was deployed following Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli's power unit failure, which led to chaos in the battle for third place once it was lifted with six laps remaining. Verstappen felt Charles Leclerc hit him on the straight after the restart. Shortly after, Russell seemed to push Verstappen off the track.

Despite this, Verstappen managed to hold onto fourth place but struggled with hard tyres. He received instructions over team radio to allow Russell to pass. As he appeared to slow down for Russell, Verstappen steered into him, resulting in a 10-second penalty and dropping him to 10th place.

Nico Rosberg, a former F1 world champion and current Sky Sports pundit, suggested that Verstappen should have faced disqualification and suspension for his actions. Russell agreed with this sentiment, stating he was as surprised as everyone else by the manoeuvre. "I've seen those sorts of manoeuvres before on simulator games and go-karting, but never in F1," he told Sky Sports.

The rivalry between Russell and Verstappen isn't new. Last year, they clashed when Russell accused Verstappen of threatening behaviour before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. At that time, Russell labelled Verstappen a bully while Verstappen retorted by calling Russell a loser and backstabber.

Verstappen's Aggressive Style

Verstappen is known for his aggressive driving style. When asked if further penalties were warranted for his rival, Russell refrained from giving an opinion on behalf of other drivers. He referenced two 10-second penalties Verstappen received during last year's Mexican Grand Prix while battling Norris.

"I'm too close to give my opinion on behalf of the drivers," said Russell. He mentioned previous races like Austin and Imola where Verstappen showcased some of the best moves but also noted instances where he faltered.

Russell acknowledged that both he and Charles Leclerc dropped significantly in performance during the final laps. He noted that without these issues, Verstappen might have been able to fight for a podium position again.

The incident cost Verstappen and his team valuable points. However, Russell stated that he wouldn't lose sleep over it as their focus remains on improving their car's speed.