Featured Image Credit: Viaplay
Topics: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Formula 1, George Russell, Spain
Ryan Smart
Topics: Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Formula 1, George Russell, Spain
Max Verstappen has admitted that he made a 'mistake' by driving into George Russell during the controversial ending to the Spanish Grand Prix earlier this year.
Verstappen had been running in third place in Catalunya, behind the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, when the safety car was brought out on lap 55 following Kimi Antonelli's crash.
At that point, the Dutchman was only six seconds behind race leader Piastri and, having fitted new softs on lap 48, had an outside chance of a race victory.
But Red Bull decided to fit new hard tyres to Verstappen's car when all the drivers pitted during the safety car period - with McLaren fitting used softs on Piastri and Norris instead.
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Red Bull's decision, as it turned out, wrecked any hopes that the four-time world champion had of winning the race, and he made his feelings clear over team radio.
He asked race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase: "Why the f**k are we... what is this tyre? Why are we on the hard?"
The team's hands were effectively tied over the decision, as Verstappen only had a new hard or significantly worn softs available to him within his weekend allocation.
On the restart, Verstappen's lack of grip meant he was immediately overtaken by Charles Leclerc for third on the pit straight, while Russell pulled alongside him into turn one.
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The Dutchman took to the escape road and kept the position, claiming that Russell had 'rammed' into him.
But on lap 64, Verstappen was asked by Lambiase to give the place to Russell - prompting a near explosion over team radio.
"No, I was ahead," he fumed. "Mate, I was ahead. He just rammed me off the road!"
Verstappen pulled across to let Russell through into turn five, before making contact with the side of the Mercedes as he pulled alongside.
Verstappen was given a 10-second time penalty for the collision, which dropped him down from fifth to 10th place - an incident which could yet prove key in deciding the destination of this season's Drivers' Championship.
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Five months on, the Red Bull driver has stated that he 'saw red' at the time, admitting that he made 'a mistake'.
"The only point of criticism is obviously Barcelona," he told Dutch broadcaster Viaplay (via Autosport). That move itself - and the entire incident - was not good, but that's also because I care a lot. I could have thought, 'This car isn't working anyway, so I let it go'.
"I can't accept - towards myself - stepping out of the car and knowing that I didn't give everything. Then I get angry with myself, so I can't drive at 80 per cent. When I get out of the car, I always need to be able to tell myself, 'I did everything I could'.
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"That's why I was so angry in Barcelona. First with what happened on the straight at the restart, then into Turn 1, and then of course when I was told to give the position back. That's when all signs went red.
"That was a mistake from my side, and of course I learn from it. Those moments won't happen again next year, even if we're in a similar situation with the car.
"These are the small things you learn from, but overall, in terms of performance, the season was absolutely good."