Mercedes driver George Russell has expressed surprise at Max Verstappen’s recent acceptance of responsibility for their Spanish Grand Prix collision.
The incident, where Verstappen deliberately hit Russell’s car, has left the Red Bull star just one licence point away from a race ban as Formula 1 arrives in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix (June 13-15).
Verstappen, penalized with a 10-second penalty and three licence points in Barcelona, admitted his actions were “not right.”
Russell acknowledged the benefit he gained from Verstappen’s mistake, stating, “His actions cost him, and they benefited me… But it’s good to see that he took accountability, which I was a bit surprised.” Russell believes Verstappen misjudged his attempt to run him off the road rather than intentionally crashing.
The specter of a ban looms large for Verstappen in Canada and Austria. If he incurs one more point, he faces a one-race suspension.
While two points come off his licence after Austria, he’ll remain on nine points until October, keeping him in a precarious position. Russell maintains a ban would be “unjust.”
Despite the pressure, Verstappen is defiant, vowing to “race like I always do.” Russell sees a strategic advantage for rivals, stating, “We have to be smart and use it to our advantage.”
He even recounted a casual encounter with Verstappen at Nice airport, highlighting the off-track normalcy despite their on-track tensions.
The Canadian Grand Prix is set to be a tense affair, with all eyes on Verstappen’s driving and the potential for a dramatic twist in the championship.
