George Russell Hits out at Max Verstappen over ‘Go-Karting’ Move During Spanish GP Clash

George Russell mocked Max Verstappen over the Spanish GP clash, claiming that the Dutchman made a move as if he was go-karting.

George Russell Hits out at Max Verstappen over ‘Go-Karting’ Move During Spanish GP Clash

George Russell and Max Verstappen's verbal altercation (via IMAGO)

Max Verstappen and George Russell had a dramatic fallout at the Spanish GP. The reigning world champion collided with the Mercedes star after a late Safety Car restart. This has sparked controversy within the paddock with critics claiming that the incident might’ve been on purpose. Now, Russell has slammed Verstappen over the move.

After the race, George Russell admitted that he had no idea how the incident unfolded. The Briton claimed that Verstappen simply crashed into him while he tried to take back the position after the latter had ran off-track. Luckily for Russell, he was able to continue and finish the race in fourth place. On the other hand, Max Verstappen fell down to tenth after a ten-second time penalty.

George Russell was asked if Verstappen had purposefully tried to crash into him, something that was claimed by ex-F1 champion Nico Rosberg. Russell reckoned that he did feel like the incident might’ve been intentional, but he couldn’t say for sure. While Max Verstappen has completely dismissed such speculation.

Was it deliberate on Max’s part? I’m not sure, but that’s how it felt.

George Russell told De Telegraaf

Additionally, George Russell claimed that Max Verstappen’s maneuver during the incident was not something he expected in Formula 1. The Briton joked that such moves are made in sim racing and go-karts, not the pinnacle of motorsport. Perhaps, the Mercedes driver was hinting at Verstappen’s love for sim racing, as the Dutchman is often livestreaming virtual races for fans.

You sometimes see this in sim racing or karting, but I’ve never seen this in a F1 race.

George Russell added

George Russell labels Max Verstappen incident a ‘shame’

Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport. Millions of viewers tune in every race to watch 20 of the best drivers of the world going head-to-head. As such, the incident between Verstappen and Russell was disappointing. So much so, that the Mercedes driver called it a shame.

George Russell (via Getty), Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)
George Russell (via Getty), Max Verstappen (via Red Bull)

George Russell reckoned that it was a shame to see the reigning world champion try to make such an unnecessary move on him during the race. The attempt only made things worse for the Dutchman who lost some crucial points. Moreover, Russell asserted that the collision sets a bad example for all the children who aspire to become F1 drivers one day.

That’s a shame. Max is one of the best drivers in the world. Then these kinds of maneuvers are completely unnecessary. And it’s also a shame, if you look at all the children who want to become F1 drivers and look up to us.

George Russell concluded

Certainly, Max Verstappen would not be proud of his actions at the Spanish GP. It is likely that the Red Bull star allowed anger to get the better of him during a chaotic restart. The 27-year-old was unhappy with the tire choice and lacked grip.

However, there is no excuse when it comes to collisions and Verstappen should ensure that he doesn’t repeat something like this in the future. Though, it is still unclear whether the crash was indeed unintentional, the Dutchman has received three penalty points for the entire saga, making him just one short of a race ban.

Read More: “Gave It Our Best Shot,” Lando Norris Accepts Defeat to Oscar Piastri in Hard-Fought Spanish GP