In the heat of the Spanish Grand Prix, Max Verstappen found himself on the receiving end of a 10-second penalty for a collision with George Russell. It all unfolded during the race’s closing laps when Verstappen was ordered by his team to let Russell take P4 after a Safety Car intervention.
The incident began when Russell’s teammate, Kimi Antonelli, came to an abrupt stop in the gravel at Turn 10, triggering the Safety Car. As the leaders rushed for the pits, Verstappen was left with only hard tires, while others, including Russell, were on the quicker softs. The race resumed at Lap 61, and Charles Leclerc took advantage of the fresh tires to secure the last podium spot. Meanwhile, Russell attempted to overtake Verstappen into Turn 1, prompting both drivers to go off-track briefly.
Following team instructions, Verstappen moved aside at Turn 5 to allow Russell to pass. However, in a dramatic twist, Verstappen collided with the Mercedes as he regained speed. Despite the lack of substantial damage, the stewards decided to penalize Verstappen with a 10-second addition to his race time, pushing him down to P10, and added three points to his Super Licence. This brought him dangerously close to a one-race ban with 11 points accumulated over the season.
Interestingly, the race stewards remarked that they wouldn’t have commanded Verstappen to yield to Russell despite Red Bull’s own directive. Their justification highlighted the evaluation of telemetry, video, and other in-race data, determining that Verstappen’s actions directly led to the collision. Consequently, they imposed the time penalty, attributing the incident squarely to Verstappen’s decisions on track.
Former racing figures and current pundits have weighed in on the situation, with Nico Rosberg staunchly calling for Verstappen’s immediate disqualification. The race incident has sparked significant debate within the F1 community, as fans and analysts discuss the implications of the penalty and its impact on the standings.
As the dust settles on the Spanish Grand Prix, the focus shifts to Verstappen’s response to the penalty and its potential repercussions. With only one point away from a ban, the Dutch driver faces intense scrutiny and must navigate the remainder of the season with caution.
