Russell surprised by Verstappen’s social media apology

George Russell expresses surprise at Max Verstappen’s social media apology regarding their contact incident at the Spanish GP.

The incident occurred with three laps remaining — Verstappen slowed down but then accelerated when Russell passed him, resulting in minor contact between their cars.

“We had an exciting strategy and good race in Barcelona, till the safety car came out. Our tyre choice to the end and some moves after the safety car restart fuelled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened,” Verstappen posted on Instagram.

Russell encountered Verstappen unexpectedly at the airport a few days ago.

“We didn’t even discuss the incident. He was with his family and newborn, talking about his new life as a father,” Russell revealed.

Though initially critical of Verstappen’s actions, Russell now believes his rival merely intended to intimidate rather than make contact. Verstappen received a 10-second penalty and now stands just one penalty point away from a race ban.