Russell "Surprised" by Verstappen Apology After Spanish GP Clash Fallout

The fallout from the Spanish Grand Prix continues to be a talking point in Formula 1, with Mercedes driver George Russell recently commenting on Max Verstappen's public apology regarding their late-race contact in Barcelona. The incident occurred in the closing laps when Verstappen, having gone off track, was instructed by his Red Bull team to yield position to Russell. As Russell moved past, Verstappen slowed and then accelerated, resulting in glancing contact. While neither car sustained significant damage, Verstappen was handed a 10-second penalty, dropping him down the order. Initially, Verstappen did not address the incident directly, but he later took to social media to admit his actions were "not right" and "shouldn't have happened." He attributed the move to frustration stemming from race strategy and decisions following a safety car period. Speaking about the aftermath, George Russell expressed surprise at the reigning world champion's admission of fault, describing it as "quite unlike him." Russell revealed they had a brief, non-race-related encounter at an airport shortly after the race but did not discuss the incident itself. Reflecting further on the collision, Russell adjusted his initial assessment that the move felt "very deliberate." He now believes Verstappen's intent was likely to intimidate or assert dominance rather than deliberately cause a crash, calling the latter prospect "pretty bonkers." Russell also felt that the 10-second penalty Verstappen received was a sufficient consequence unless the intent was definitively proven to be malicious. Beyond the time penalty, the incident also added a penalty point to Verstappen's super licence. He is now just one point away from triggering an automatic one-race ban. This puts pressure on the Red Bull driver to avoid further infractions in the upcoming events, particularly the Canadian and Austrian Grands Prix. In a lighthearted moment, Russell even quipped that knowing Verstappen's competitive nature, he might even drive more aggressively in an attempt to pick up a point and secure a forced weekend off. However, the reality of a potential ban remains a significant factor for the championship leader as the season progresses.