Max Verstappen explains why he doesn’t regret crashing into George Russell despite costly penalty

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Max Verstappen’s collision with George Russell at the Spanish GP in June could cost him the 2025 F1 title, even though it didn’t seem like at the time. Verstappen lost nine points after he was penalised for the incident.

Verstappen crossed the line fifth in Barcelona, but a 10-second penalty – after the stewards deemed him responsible for the collision – dropped him to 10th.

Red Bull instructed Verstappen to let Russell through after the Mercedes driver took to the run off when trying to overtake at turn one. It transpired that this wasn’t necessary, as the stewards saw no grounds to penalise the world champion for his defensive driving.

But the message from the pit wall enraged Verstappen, who slowed down on the entry to turn five and then slammed into the side of Russell as he tried to sweep past.

Max Verstappen says his Spain collision with George Russell ‘could be a good thing’

In a social media post afterwards, Verstappen admitted the move was ‘not right’. And speaking to De Limburger nearly five months later, he acknowledged the error once again.

“My action in Barcelona,” he replied when asked to name the last mistake he made.

Verstappen knows he needs to be virtually perfect to win the title, with Oscar Piastri 40 points ahead of the final five races. But he still doesn’t regret throwing points away in Spain.

In fact, he says it may actually have been a ‘good thing’. Among other consequences, it forced Red Bull to tighten up their procedures on the pit wall.

“That’s life, if that’s the case,” he said when it was put to him that the penalty could be decisive. “You learn from everything, whether it’s good or bad. But if you ask me now if I would have done anything differently in my entire career, the answer is ‘no.’

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“That moment in Barcelona was certainly not good, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. Maybe it’s also a good thing that it happened. And you shouldn’t forget why I did it.”

Red Bull feel Verstappen lost some motivation earlier in the year when he didn’t have the car to fight the McLarens, but he himself has challenged that assessment.

How many penalty points does Max Verstappen have?

The main talking point immediately after the Spain clash was Verstappen’s precarious penalty points situation. It elevated him to 11 in the space of a year, just one short of a race ban.

Two of those expired after the Austrian GP, but he still had to be cautious with nine on his superlicence. A race ban would have ended his title bid for good.

Verstappen will be down to seven penalty points if he comes through the Mexico weekend unscathed. It was at this circuit last year that he earned a 20-second sanction for two manoeuvres against Lando Norris.