Four-time World Drivers’ Champion Max Verstappen has admitted “we all live and learn” following his collision with George Russell in Spain. As Formula 1 heads to Canada, the Dutchman is eager to put the incident behind him and “try to have a good weekend” at the Canadian Grand Prix.
What happened at the Spanish Grand Prix?
The collision between Verstappen and Russell occurred during the final laps in Barcelona. Following the safety car pit stops, the Dutchman was left on hard tyres, putting him at a disadvantage against rivals on softer compounds.
Charles Leclerc managed to overtake Verstappen on the restart, with the pair briefly making contact. Shortly after, Russell attempted an overtake against the reigning champion into Turn 1, resulting in contact and forcing Verstappen to take the escape road.
Frustrations only intensified when Red Bull instructed their driver to return the position to Russell. In attempting to do so, Verstappen made a further move that resulted in a second contact between the pair. This earned him a 10-second time penalty, ultimately dropping him from fifth to tenth place.
Reflecting on the race, Verstappen admitted on social media:
“Our tyre choice at 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.”
Verstappen admits there’s no hard feelings between the pair
Speaking to the media ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, Verstappen confirmed no lingering issues between him and Russell. Despite this being yet another occasion where the pair have butted heads on track, Verstappen made it clear that they have moved on and are focused on the races ahead.
“I think we all live and learn, right?”
The Red Bull driver also emphasised that he has taken full accountability for his actions. He and the team will put it behind them and focus on the upcoming doubleheader.
“I explained, I mean, immediately on the Monday, my view, so [we] just move on and try to have a good weekend here... I think it’s quite clear I got penalised for something, so try not to do that again.”
Penalty points could be a problem for Verstappen
One of the most pressing concerns for Red Bull and Max Verstappen is his penalty points. Following the Spanish GP incident, he sits just one point away from an automatic race ban.
However, despite the growing threat, Verstappen remains calm in his approach to the weekends ahead. Claiming it won’t change his approach to the races.
“It’s there right, there’s nothing I can do about it, so we just focus ahead and try to do the best we can every single time. It’s not changing my approach and I cannot speak for others.”
The 27-year-old also shared his thoughts on the potential punishment should it happen.
“If you look at it in general, missing a race is not ideal, but it’s not the end of the world.”
Looking ahead to Montreal
The Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve has historically been a happy hunting ground for Verstappen, who has won the last three Canadian Grands Prix. Despite this strong record, Verstappen remains realistic on his chances this weekend
“I wish we were as competitive as we were, of course, in the past, but I think the world has been a bit different for us at the moment.”
Rather than chasing victory, Verstappen is targeting a podium finish this time out in Montreal.
“I think a realistic target for us is to try and be on the podium and try to fight with Ferrari and Mercedes, which I think is already hard enough for us. So we’ll try to do that.”
As the Canadian Grand Prix looms closer, Red Bull and Max Verstappen remain calm that they can bounce back following a difficult weekend in Spain.
