The Canadian Grand Prix delivered an exciting battle between George Russell and Max Verstappen, but it was a controversial incident under the safety car that stole the spotlight after the race. Red Bull lodged a protest against Russell’s victory, labeling his driving as “illegal” and unsportsmanlike. After lengthy deliberations, the FIA stewards dismissed the protest, but George Russell still faces a penalty for his actions. This is good news for Max Verstappen, who retains his second-place finish, while Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff shared his perspective on the situation.
The race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve was dominated by Russell, who started from pole position and maintained the lead. Verstappen followed in second but couldn’t seriously challenge the Mercedes driver. The drama unfolded when a collision between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri brought out the safety car in the closing stages. During this period, Russell suddenly braked hard on the straight, causing Verstappen to briefly pull alongside and even overtake him momentarily. Verstappen immediately complained over the radio: “George braked very aggressively all of a sudden.” His race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, responded that they would investigate the incident for potential irregular driving.
Russell wasn’t silent either, reporting over the radio that Verstappen had overtaken him under the safety car, which could constitute a rule violation. This appeared to be a deliberate attempt to put Verstappen in trouble, especially since the Dutchman is already on 11 penalty points, with one more potentially leading to a race ban. Lambiase warned Verstappen: “That incident with Russell is now visible on the footage, Max, it’s pretty clear. Don’t get dragged into this game, okay?”
After hours of deliberation, the stewards dismissed Red Bull’s protest, concluding that Russell’s driving was not illegal. However, Russell received an official warning for his abrupt braking maneuver, which was deemed potentially dangerous. Additionally, Russell, along with Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri, received warnings for overtaking after the finish under safety car conditions, but no further penalties were imposed. This means Russell keeps his victory, but the warning serves as a reminder that his actions were on the edge. For Verstappen, this is good news: his second place remains secure, and he avoids additional penalty points, steering clear of a potential race ban.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff reacted to the incident with a measured tone, unusual given his often outspoken stance. “I only heard after the race that Max was asked to let George pass, I didn’t know that,” Wolff told the media, including RacingNews365. “During the race, we thought Max had an issue with his car, which is why he was so slow in Turn 4.” Wolff avoided harsh criticism of Verstappen but suggested that if the incident was intentional, it would not be acceptable. “If it was out of anger, which I can’t imagine because it was too obvious, then that’s not okay. But I don’t know what Max was planning. Did he want to let George pass and then overtake him again?”
Wolff’s response reflects his broader view on top athletes like Verstappen. He noted that “great champions sometimes think the world is against them, which drives them to perform at the highest level.” He added: “Sometimes they don’t see that they’ve made a mistake themselves. We haven’t seen moments like this from Max in years, so I don’t know where this came from.” These comments suggest Wolff understands Verstappen’s temperament but emphasized that Mercedes remains focused on their own performance.
The FIA’s ruling and Russell’s warning bring a tumultuous Canadian Grand Prix to a close. For Verstappen, this offers some relief as he continues his championship fight. However, the rivalry between Russell and Verstappen remains a source of tension, and with upcoming races in Europe, the Formula 1 world will be closely watching how this dynamic unfolds further
