P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull boss Christian Horner has said the team’s decision to protest George Russell’s F1 Canadian GP victory was down to what he described as a “reasonably clear” attempt to seek out Max Verstappen’s crucial 12th penalty point.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner stated that the team’s protest against George Russell’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix win was motivated by a perceived attempt to accumulate penalty points for Max Verstappen. Russell secured victory at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, while Verstappen finished second, following a dominant performance by the Mercedes driver. A late Safety Car situation caused by Norris and Piastri impacted the result by bunching up the pack before the finish. Russell deliberately slowed down, prompting Verstappen to overtake him briefly, which led to Red Bull’s protest to FIA. Despite the protest being rejected after six hours, Russell retained his victory. The tension between Russell and Verstappen escalated due to their previous confrontation in the Spanish GP. Horner accused Russell of provoking Verstappen but praised the latter’s clean racing in Canada despite facing questions about gamesmanship. Verstappen expressed frustration over the looming race ban talk prior to the Canadian GP, which Horner highlighted while commending his driver’s performance.
