Max Verstappen is feeling the heat, and it’s not from the summer sun.
- Footage reveals a clash between Verstappen and Leclerc that went unpunished.
- Helmut Marko voices frustration over the lack of action from stewards.
- A late Safety Car shuffled strategies, leaving Verstappen vulnerable.
- Verstappen’s race unraveled further with an incident involving George Russell.
Max Verstappen is not having the easiest time on the track right now, and recent events have only added to his frustrations. During a high-speed race in Barcelona, Verstappen and Charles Leclerc were caught in a nail-biting moment that was captured on very clear footage. According to Red Bull’s Helmut Marko, this footage shows Verstappen being “rammed” by Leclerc at 300 km/h, an action for which Leclerc received no punishment, much to Verstappen’s dismay.
Despite the intensity of the incident, FIA stewards decided against penalizing either driver, reasoning that neither was wholly to blame. Both Verstappen and Leclerc reportedly agreed with this assessment at the time, but Marko and the Red Bull camp are singing a different tune after watching the post-race footage aired on ServusTV. Marko expressed his frustration, stating that the lack of action has only added to Verstappen’s disappointment.
Compounding the situation was a late Safety Car due to Kimi Antonelli’s stranded car, which left Verstappen in a tricky spot with his tires. This last-minute shuffle forced the Red Bull team to pit for hard tires, putting Verstappen at a disadvantage against rivals with fresher, softer rubber. Leclerc seized this opportunity, managing to get alongside and eventually pass Verstappen, which involved some wheel-banging along the way. Leclerc, though, downplayed the incident, describing it as nothing special and something he might have reacted more passionately to if roles were reversed, emphasizing that fighting for third place inevitably brings such moments.
As if the race wasn’t already challenging enough, further drama ensued when Verstappen tangled with Mercedes’ George Russell. The two collided at Turn 1, sending Verstappen into the run-off area. Adding salt to the wound, Verstappen was then instructed to yield position to Russell, only for further contact to occur shortly after. Russell reported damage from the clash, and Verstappen walked away with three Super Licence points and a costly 10-second penalty.
The fallout was significant for Verstappen, who officially finished tenth, trailing Oscar Piastri, who leads the championship, by a hefty 49-point margin. With tensions running high and Verstappen teetering on the brink of a race ban due to accumulating penalty points, the racing world watches closely.
Verstappen’s race in Barcelona highlighted the intense pressure in the fast-paced world of F1, where every second counts and every move is scrutinized.
