It’s confirmed! 🏎️The FIA ​​has announced the harshest punishment in a decade against George Russell following the controversial incident in which he allegedly intentionally collided with Max Verstappen during the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix.
In a shock turn of events, the FIA ​​has imposed a severe penalty on Mercedes driver George Russell following his controversial collision with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday 1 June 2025. The decision, announced earlier today following a full post-race investigation, reversed initial perceptions of the incident, placing all blame on Russell for what was described as a reckless manoeuvre, leaving the F1 community in shock and Verstappen cleared of guilt after a tumultuous race weekend.
A reversal of responsibilities in a dramatic confrontation
The incident occurred on the penultimate lap of the Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during a tight battle for fourth place following the safety car. Verstappen, who had been ordered by Red Bull to make way for Russell after a run off the track at Turn 1, appeared to slow down at Turn 5 to let the Mercedes driver pass. However, as Russell moved to the outside, the two collided, and Verstappen’s car suffered minor damage. Verstappen was initially given a 10-second penalty and three points, which demoted him from fifth to tenth in the final standings and increased his Super Licence to 11 points, dangerously close to a suspension.
However, after reviewing additional telemetry data, in-car recordings and team radio communications, the FIA ​​stewards changed their minds and concluded that Russell was primarily responsible. In their official statement, the stewards noted: “Car 63 [Russell] made an aggressive manoeuvre to overtake Car 1 [Verstappen] at Turn 5, leaving insufficient space and colliding directly with the Red Bull, causing the collision. This action was deemed to be entirely avoidable and reckless.” As a result, Russell was handed a 15-second penalty, relegating him from fourth to ninth in the final standings, and was handed four penalty points on his Super Licence, bringing his total penalty points in 12 months to eight points – still below the 12-point threshold for a race ban, but a significant blow to his season.
Verstappen released, Russell under pressure
The FIA’s decision to clear Verstappen sparked a heated debate in the paddock. Furious at the initial penalty, Verstappen expressed his relief in a brief statement: “I knew it was right. George attacked me directly and I’m happy the stewards understood the truth. Now on to Canada.” The Dutchman, now 49 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri after McLaren’s dominant one-two in Spain, moved back to fifth, minimising the damage to his title hopes.
Russell, however, was visibly shaken by the decision. Speaking to the press after the announcement, he maintained his innocence: “I’m shocked by the decision. I was overtaking on the outside and Max hit me; at the time it looked deliberate. The data should speak for itself.” His comments echoed his earlier accusations that Verstappen’s actions were intentional, a stance that drew ridicule from the Red Bull driver, who joked after the race: “Next time I’ll use tissues.” However, the FIA’s findings changed that, with some pundits suggesting that Russell’s aggressive stance was a desperate attempt to secure a podium finish after a difficult race for Mercedes, especially after teammate Kimi Antonelli’s retirement which led to the safety car.
Paddock reactions and implications for the championship
The reaction in the paddock was polarised. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who had previously acknowledged Verstappen’s frustration with the team’s speeding order, called the FIA’s overturning of the decision “justice served”, adding: “Max got himself into a tricky situation and George’s driving was reckless. In the end, the stewards were right.” Meanwhile, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended his driver, calling the penalty “disproportionate” and hinting at a possible appeal: “We will analyse the data ourselves. George drove with intensity, as he should have. This seems to me to be an exaggeration.”
Fans on social media, like X, are also divided. Some praise the FIA ​​for correcting what they see as an unfair initial penalty for Verstappen, while others accuse the FIA ​​of inconsistency, citing past incidents, such as the overtaking penalty handed out to Russell in Monaco for failing to pass through the Nouvelle Chicane, as evidence of the harsher treatment meted out to the Briton. One user wrote: “Russell got what he deserved; you can’t drive like that and expect to get away with it,” while another hit back: “FIA changing their minds again. Verstappen got what he wanted.”
That penalty has wider implications for the 2025 season. Russell’s demotion gives valuable points to drivers such as Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg, now fourth, and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who has moved up to fifth. For Verstappen, the points gained allow him to stay in the title hunt, even if McLaren’s dominance, led by Piastri and Lando Norris, remains a serious challenge. In the meantime, Russell’s penalty points serve as a warning: four more points in the next 12 months could lead to a race ban.
Controversial breed leaves lasting echoes
The 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, already marred by the scandal surrounding the FIA’s new front wing flexibility rules and the late arrival of the safety car, has emerged as one of the most controversial races of the season. As the F1 circus heads to Canada for the next race on June 13-15, the fallout from that incident is likely to linger, with questions over steward consistency, driver behaviour and the intense rivalry between Russell and Verstappen at the centre of debate. For now, the FIA’s harsh punishment of Russell has altered the landscape of a chaotic weekend in Barcelona, ​​leaving fans and teams to deal with the fallout from a shock decision.
