P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Why Red Bull asked Max Verstappen to let George Russell through – and put him on hard tyres
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner refrained from commenting on Max Verstappen’s Turn 5 collision with Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, citing that he had not yet spoken to Verstappen at the time of addressing the media. However, Horner did provide context on the events that led to Verstappen’s outburst of frustration.
Verstappen’s 10th place finish in Barcelona was influenced by a late safety car restart where he lost ground to Leclerc and was overtaken by Russell into Turn 1. Red Bull advised Verstappen to cede the position, but he appeared to retaliate by colliding with Russell at Turn 5, earning a penalty and three penalty points.
Verstappen acknowledged his error on social media, attributing his actions to the tire choice and post-safety car restart maneuvers that heightened his frustration.
Horner defended the team’s decision to pit Verstappen under the safety car for hard tires, given his deteriorating soft tires and aggressive three-stop strategy. Despite the outcome, Horner asserted that decisions are made based on available information, highlighting the risks involved in strategic choices.
Reflecting on whether Verstappen should have stayed out on worn soft tires, Horner conceded that hindsight suggested an alternate approach, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of race strategies under differing circumstances.
