Exactly one year ago, Max Verstappen drove into George Russell and edged himself close to a race ban in F1. Twelve months on,
In the 2025 Formula 1 season, a defining moment occurred during the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya. George Russell attempted to overtake Verstappen after a safety-car restart, which led to an altercation. Verstappen, after receiving orders from his race engineer, relinquished the position but retaliated by intentionally hitting Russell’s car. As a result, Verstappen received a 10-second time penalty and lost points that contributed to him missing out on a fifth consecutive drivers’ championship. The incident also added three penalty points to Verstappen’s super licence, nearing an automatic one-race ban. Reflecting on the episode, Verstappen expressed his passion for the sport despite the unsavory turn of events. While penalties for previous infringements have expired, the three points from the Russell collision have also been wiped clean, granting a fresh start to Verstappen’s record.
