Verstappen Admits Fault in Spanish Grand Prix Collision

Max Verstappen has taken responsibility for the contentious collision with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix. In a Monday Instagram post, Verstappen conceded his actions ‘were not right’ and ‘shouldn’t have happened.’

The incident occurred after Verstappen was put on hard tyres, a disadvantage against rivals using soft tyres. This led to contact with Charles Leclerc of Ferrari and two separate incidents with George Russell of Mercedes.

Verstappen ultimately finished fifth in the race but received a 10-second penalty due to the second collision with Russell, dropping him to 10th place.

The hard tyres hampered Verstappen’s grip, contributing to the collisions. The post-race investigation of his collision with Leclerc could potentially result in further penalties.

Initially, Verstappen displayed little remorse, questioning the significance of the collision. However, on Monday morning, the Dutch racer addressed the issue on Instagram, acknowledging his error and attributing it to frustration.

Verstappen stated, “We had an exciting strategy and good race in Barcelona until the safety car came out.”

He further explained, “Our tyre choice to the end and some moves after the safety car restart fuelled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened.”

“I always give everything out there for the team, and emotions can run high. You win some together, you lose some together. See you in Montreal,” he concluded.

For context, Oscar Piastri, the Formula 1 championship leader, secured victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday, leading a McLaren one-two finish ahead of teammate Lando Norris.