Good news for Max Verstappen: Here is the penalty that George Russell will receive after the Grand Prix of Canada. Toto Wolff also left a comment.

The Grand Prix of Canada gave rise to a fierce battle between George Russell and Max Verstappen, but after the race, it was a controversial incident under the security car that caught the attention. Red Bull made a complaint against Russell’s victory, qualifying his “illegal” and antactive pilot behavior. After long deliberations, the FIA ​​commissioners rejected the complaint, but George Russell was still sanctioned for his actions. This is good news for Max Verstappen, who retains his second place, while Toto Wolff, director of the Mercedes team, shared his vision of the situation.

The race on the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit was dominated by Russell, who left in pole position and keeping the head. Verstappen followed second, but could not seriously threaten the Mercedes driver. The drama then started with a collision between the McLaren of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, which required the intervention of the safety car in the final phase. Meanwhile, Russell suddenly slowed down violently on the right side, allowing Verstappen to join him and even exceed him. Verstappen immediately complained on board radio: “George suddenly held out very brutally. His racing engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, replied that an investigation was going to be opened for possible irregular driving behavior.

Russell himself was not silent and reported to the radio that Verstappen had caught up with the safetycar, which could constitute an offense in the regulations. It seemed to be a deliberate attempt to put Versappen in difficulty, especially since the Dutchman already has eleven penalty points and an additional point would cause suspension. Lambiase warned Verstappen: “This incident with Russell is now visible on the images, Max, it’s quite clear. Don’t get involved in this game, okay? »»

After hours of consultation, the commissioners rejected the complaint of Red Bull, concluding that Russell’s behavior behind the wheel was not illegal. However, Russell received an official warning for his abrupt maneuver, considered potentially dangerous. In addition, Russell, as well as Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri, were warned not to catch up after the arrival under Safetycar, but that led to any additional sanction. Russell therefore retains his victory, but this warning recalls that his behavior was at the limit. This is good news for Verstappen: his second place remains intact and he does not receive any additional penalty point, which allows him to avoid suspension.

Toto Wolff, director of the Mercedes team, reacted to the incident in moderation, which is unusual given his often decided opinions. “I only learned after the race that Max had been asked to let George pass, I did not know,” Wolff told the media, including Racingnews365. “During the race, we thought Max had a problem with his car, so he was very slow in turn 4.” Wolff criticized Verstappen, but suggested that if the incident was a deliberate act, he would not be acceptable. “If it was anger, which I can’t imagine because it was too obvious, then it’s not good. But I don’t know what Max was planning. Did he want George to pass and catch up immediately? »»

Wolff’s reaction reflects its broader vision of high -level athletes like Verstappen. He noted that “the big champions sometimes think that the world is against them, which pushes them to perform at the highest level”. He added: “Sometimes they don’t see that they have made an error themselves. We haven’t seen these kinds of moments at Max for years, so I don’t understand where it comes from. These comments suggest that the temperament of Wolff Verstappen is understanding, but he stressed that Mercedes remains focused on his own performance.

The FIA ​​decision and the warning to Russell conclude a Grand Prix of tumultuous Canada. For Verstappen, this offers a certain relief, when he continues his fight for the championship. The rivalry between Russell and Verstappen, however, remains a source of tension, and with the next races in Europe, the world of Formula 1 will closely follow the evolution of this dynamic.