Russell Pokes Fun at Verstappen's On-Track Antics

George Russell pokes fun at Max Verstappen's on-track antics, saying 'Jos is the boss' after their Spanish GP collision. Verstappen is one point shy of a race ban.

George Russell believes Max Verstappen tried to assert dominance in their Spanish Grand Prix collision, but the tactic didn't work in his favor. Russell doesn't think Verstappen intentionally rammed him.

“Jos is the boss,” Russell quipped, implying Verstappen's actions didn't intimidate him. Verstappen and Russell were involved in a heated incident at the Spanish GP, which sparked debate over Verstappen's driving style.

George Russell believes Max Verstappen tried to assert dominance in their Spanish Grand Prix collision. “He was just trying to get his elbows out and show who's boss. He got it wrong. Jos is the boss,” Russell joked, referencing Verstappen's father Jos Verstappen's nickname.

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

— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) June 12, 2025

The incident cost Verstappen three penalty points, dropping him from fifth to 10th in the race. He's now one point shy of a mandatory race ban, adding pressure ahead of the Montreal Grand Prix.

The collision between Max Verstappen and George Russell remained a topic of discussion at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where they lined up on the front row together last year. The pair could be racing wheel-to-wheel again on Sunday.

Verstappen acknowledged his move in Spain “wasn't right and shouldn't have happened.” However, Russell, who finished fourth in Spain, said he's not seeking an apology, instead poking fun at Verstappen's actions.

“I don't think he needs to apologise to me for my side,” he said. “His actions cost him and they benefited me. So I should be almost thanking him.

“But it's good to see that he took accountability, which I was a bit surprised (about).”

“I think he wanted to just sort of scare me a bit but he just misjudged it. It wasn't going to scare me, it was just all a bit surprising.”

"I was a bit surprised to see he'd taken responsibility" 😧

George Russell on his collision with Max Verstappen last time out in Spain 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/eKnFiU4MU1

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) June 12, 2025

George Russell sees an opportunity to gain an advantage if Max Verstappen is cautious due to his impending suspension risk. “This weekend if I see him on track, I'm racing the same. I want to win. I'm not going to give him any more space or anything,” Russell said, indicating he'll push just as hard.

George Russell bumped into Max Verstappen at the airport while Russell was heading to the French Open tennis final. “He was there with his newborn (daughter) and we were at the security machine,” Russell said.

“We just had a quick chat and then he was busy folding the pram down to put it through the machine,” Russell added, describing their brief encounter before parting ways.

George Russell found amusement in Max Verstappen's response after he expressed concerns about Verstappen's driving style affecting young racers. Verstappen jokingly said he'd “bring some tissues” next time.

“That was quite funny, to be fair,” Russell said with a grin. “I did have a giggle there,” he added, clearly entertained by Verstappen's lighthearted remark.