Russell Puts Verstappen Spanish GP Collision Behind Him Ahead of Canada

Ahead of this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, George Russell has indicated he is ready to move past the incident involving Max Verstappen during the recent Spanish Grand Prix. The collision between the two drivers in the closing stages of the Barcelona race resulted in Verstappen receiving a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points on his licence, bringing him to within one point of an automatic race ban. Reflecting on the Turn 5 contact, which occurred after a Safety Car restart, Russell stated he had "no issues" with Verstappen regarding the matter. He acknowledged that his perspective would likely be different if the incident had forced him out of the race. However, as he ultimately benefited from the outcome while Verstappen was penalised, he considers the matter resolved. Russell also mentioned he was somewhat surprised to hear Verstappen later accept a degree of responsibility for the move. Verstappen himself had attributed his actions in Spain to frustration stemming from tyre choices and events following the Safety Car, admitting his move was incorrect. Despite the on-track clash, Russell revealed he and Verstappen had a brief, unplanned interaction at an airport shortly after the race. He lightheartedly noted that during this encounter, the collision had slipped his mind, further underscoring his readiness to put the incident behind him. The focus now shifts to Montreal, a circuit where Russell secured pole position last year. The Mercedes driver expressed optimism heading into the Canadian event, citing the car's strong performance in potentially cooler conditions at previous races. While hopeful for a repeat of last year's form, he cautioned that there are no guarantees in Formula 1. The upcoming race provides an opportunity for Mercedes to build on recent promising performances, while attention will also remain on Verstappen, who must now navigate races carefully to avoid incurring a ban-triggering penalty point.