FIA penalise Max Verstappen as tempers flare in Russell Spain GP collision

Max Verstappen has received a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with Mercedes’ George Russell.

The decision comes after Verstappen drove into Russell at Turn 5 during the closing stages of the Spanish Grand Prix, Verstappen having been instructed by his Red Bull team to concede P4 to the Mercedes driver in a late flurry of action after the Safety Car made an appearance.

Max Verstappen hit with 10-second time penalty at Spanish GP

Russell’s Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli ground to a halt in the gravel at Turn 10, triggering the Safety Car as the frontrunners all dived into the pits.

While Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Russell and Charles Leclerc were all now on softs, Verstappen was on hard tyres, the only tyre option he had left.

The race resumed on Lap 61 of 66, Leclerc and Russell challenging Verstappen down into Turn 1.

Leclerc took the final podium spot, and Russell looked to find a way through too, Verstappen going off the track and returning ahead of his silver-clad rival.

Verstappen was of the opinion that he was entitled to keep P4, but his Red Bull team did not agree, race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase making the call to allow Russell back through.

While frustrated by that order, it looked like Verstappen was playing ball as he moved over at Turn 5 and Russell came through, only for Verstappen to hit the Mercedes at the apex.

Neither car suffered significant damage and Verstappen later conceded the place, but the stewards took a dim view of the incident and issued Verstappen with a 10-second time penalty, demoting him to P10 at the chequered flag.

They would also add three penalty points to Verstappen’s FIA Super Licence, which takes him to 11 for the 12-month period, one away for a one-race ban.

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Ironically, the stewards noted that they were not going to order Verstappen to give the place to Russell despite Red Bull issuing that instruction.

Explaining their verdict, the stewards wrote: “The stewards reviewed positioning/marshalling system data, video, timing, telemetry, and in-car video evidence.

“From the radio communications, it was clear that the driver of Car 1 was asked by his team to ‘give the position back’ to Car 63 for what they perceived to be an earlier breach by Car 1 for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage (in fact, we had later determined that we would take no further action in relation to that incident).

“The driver of Car 1 was clearly unhappy with his team’s request to give the position back. At the approach to Turn 5, Car 1 significantly reduced its speed thereby appearing to allow Car 63 to overtake. However, after Car 63 got ahead of Car 1 at the entry of Turn 5, Car 1 suddenly accelerated and collided with Car 63.

“The collision was undoubtedly caused by the actions of Car 1. We therefore imposed a 10 second time penalty on Car 1.”

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