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In a social media post, Max Verstappen admitted that his move that caused a collision with George Russell at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix was 'not right.' He explained that everything happened in a fit of frustration, and fans reacted to his statement on social media.
The incident occurred on lap 64 of the Spanish GP, where Red Bull asked Verstappen to give the P4 position back to Russell since he went wide off the track to complete his overtake.
However, the Dutchman was convinced that Russell pushed him wide and he wasn't at fault. Moreover, on turn 5, the four-time world champion slowed down, but instead of letting Russell through, he crashed into him, leading to a 10-second time penalty.
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While Max Verstappen was defiant in post-race interviews, he admitted his fault on social media a day later. On Instagram, he said the collision shouldn't have happened and he made a misjudgment in frustration.
"We had an exciting strategy and good race in Barcelona till the safety car came out. Our tire choice to the end and some moves after the safety car restart fueled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened. I always give everything out there for the team, and emotions can run high," Verstappen wrote in the caption.
However, fans reacted to his statement on X and claimed that Verstappen has gone soft since becoming a dad last month. He welcomed baby girl Lily in May with girlfriend Kelly Piquet.
"Becoming a dad made him soft," a fan said.
"That's not an apology at all, it's just a statement," another user commented.
"What a transition this is, if indeed this is Max's honest admission and not from his PR team," a fan also said.
However, a few supporters also backed Verstappen.
"Max is a legend no matter what all the keyboard warriors type! True champion with a real winner's mentality!" a fan commented.
"Respect for owning up to the emotions, Max! That’s what makes racing so intense. On to the next one!" a user said.
"Dummy back in Max?" a fan questioned.
Apart from the time penalty, Verstappen also received three penalty points on his super license. His 12-month total has reached 11, and one more point could get him banned for one race.
Max Verstappen expressed no regret after a collision with George Russell in Spain
Before the Instagram post, Max Verstappen was defiant in the post-race interview. He refused to address the collision with George Russell in detail and said everyone is entitled to an opinion.
Moreover, when asked if he wishes to talk to Russell and clear the air, he said (via Planet F1):
"No, I don’t think that’s necessary. I have nothing to say to him. I think in life you shouldn’t regret too many things. You only live once."
However, Verstappen did admit that it was an error in judgment on his side and refused to dwell on more details.
