Damon Hill takes a subtle dig at Max Verstappen following controversial collision with George Russell

Max Verstappen faced backlash following the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix for his controversial collision with George Russell. Former world champion Damon Hill reacted to the infamous incident and said Verstappen’s action was a bit excessive, which is his usual tactic.

The incident happened on lap 64 of the Spanish GP, where the four-time world champion was asked to give his P4 position back to Russell, as he went off the track at the safety car restart to overtake him.

However, Verstappen alleged that Russell pushed him off and he wasn't at fault. But Red Bull, fearing a potential penalty, retained team orders. The Dutch driver's frustration boiled over as, on turn 5, he slowed down, but instead of giving the position back, he crashed into Russell.

Many fans and critics have alleged that Verstappen's actions were deliberate, and FIA also took a strong stand by penalizing him with a 10-second time penalty, which dropped him from P5 to P10.

Meanwhile, former F1 world champion Damon Hill took a dig at Max Verstappen and his aggressive tactics while sharing his views on the incident. A fan on the X platform asked him if Verstappen’s move reminded him of the 1994 crash, and Hill responded:

"It was a bit misjudged. Maybe he thought he had done enough to give the place back? Otherwise it was a bit over the top. As usual. Max was a bit grumpy that he was overtaken. People are angry again. They want me to say one thing or another so they can stir up more hate on social media. They actually just want to hear what confirms their own preference."

In 1994, Hill had a crash with Michael Schumacher in the final race in Australia. Both were competing for the championship, but the crash led to a DNF, and Hill lost the title by a single point difference. Schumacher always said it wasn’t on purpose, but some people disagree.

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Max Verstappen admits move against George Russell was not right

Max Verstappen at F1 Grand Prix of Spain - Source: Getty

Meanwhile, a day after the conclusion of the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, Max Verstappen admitted that his actions against George Russell weren't right in a viral social media post. He added that in the heat of the moment, emotions got the better of him, leading to misjudgment.

"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."

However, in post-race interviews, Verstappen was defiant. He brushed off the criticism from reporters, saying they reflect personal opinions.

That being said, Max Verstappen also received three penalty points for that incident with Russell. He is at 11 total points now, and one more penalty point will result in the race ban.