George Russell on Max Verstappen: “Ban Wouldn't Be Unjust”

George Russell says a potential race ban for Max Verstappen wouldn't be unjust due to the Dutch driver's reckless driving. Russell cites Verstappen's aggressive style and their recent clash in Spain.

George Russell believes a potential race ban for Max Verstappen wouldn't be unjust, given the Dutch driver's history of aggressive driving. Russell, who has clashed with Verstappen in the past, including incidents last season and at the Spanish Grand Prix, thinks Verstappen's actions are reckless and warrant scrutiny. He specifically pointed to Verstappen's move in Spain, where he rammed his Red Bull into Russell's Mercedes, as an attempt to intimidate him. Russell's comments suggest Verstappen's behavior may have consequences, potentially impacting his racing future.

Max Verstappen initially avoided discussing the incident but later acknowledged on social media that his actions were a mistake. He was penalized for the incident, dropping from fifth to 10th place in the race, and received a three-point penalty on his super licence. This brought his total points to 11, raising concerns about potential further disciplinary action.

“He was trying to run me off the road,” said Russell, speaking to reporters ahead of this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.

“I don't think he was trying to intentionally crash into me. He wanted to just sort of scare me a bit, but he just misjudged it.

“Again, it wasn't going to scare me, it was all just a bit surprising. I'm not looking for an apology. His actions cost him - and they benefitted me. So I should be almost thanking him!

“Obviously, I'd be feeling very differently if it took me out of the race, but it is good to see that he took accountability. I was a bit surprised about that.”

Russell doesn't anticipate Verstappen toning down his aggressive driving approach, suggesting that their on-track battles will likely remain intense.

“It wouldn't be unjust,” said Russell. “At the end of the day, that's why the penalty points are there. If you keep driving recklessly, you will accumulate points and get punished with a race ban.

George Russell had jokes when asked about his incident with Max Verstappen in Barcelona 😅 pic.twitter.com/4bmbZoKUS5

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) June 12, 2025

“You've got it in your own hands and it doesn't go without risk.”

With 11 points on his super licence, Verstappen faces a one-race ban if he accumulates 12 more points within the next two races, adding pressure to his driving approach moving forward.

“I don't think so, but it depends on the circumstances, doesn't it? When you are going for a championship, it's slightly different.

“That's why I believe he wasn't intentionally trying to crash into me. He was just trying to get his elbows out and show who's boss, but he got that wrong - Jos (Verstappen's father) is the boss!”

George Russell mentioned that he had a brief conversation with Max Verstappen since their on-track clash, but the incident itself wasn't discussed.

“We bumped into each other at the airport on Sunday morning when I was going to Roland Garros. To be honest, I totally forgot about Barcelona because he was there with his new-born and we were at the security machine.

“We just had a quick chat and then he was busy folding the pram down to put it through the machine.”