Explained: The Shocking Reason Max Verstappen Got Penalized at Spanish GP

Max Verstappen was handed a major penalty at the Spanish Grand Prix after a late-race incident with George Russell. The stewards announced a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points for Verstappen, putting him at risk of a race ban.

The controversial collision took place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on lap 64, capping off a tense weekend for the reigning world champion and the Red Bull team.

The problems started during the safety car period that ended at lap 61, when Charles Leclerc overtook Verstappen at the restart.

Russell, driving for Mercedes, tried to follow Leclerc through, leading to contact between Russell and Verstappen. Verstappen took the escape road and returned to the track in fourth place, ahead of Russell.

Red Bull quickly told Verstappen to let Russell ahead, believing he had gained his position unfairly. On the following lap, Verstappen appeared to slow down for Russell, allowing him to come alongside at Turn 5.

However, instead of relinquishing the position, Verstappen suddenly accelerated, hitting Russell’s car on the outside line. This resulted in an immediate investigation by race stewards.

They later decided that Verstappen’s actions had caused the collision. The penalty had a clear impact on the final results.

Verstappen had crossed the finish line in fifth but dropped to tenth place in the official standings after the time was added to his total. The three extra penalty points moved his tally to 11—just one short of the 12-point threshold that triggers an automatic one-race ban under FIA rules.

Verstappen must keep out of trouble until the Austrian Grand Prix if he wants to avoid a suspension. According to the stewards’ detailed explanation, team radio from Red Bull revealed they told Verstappen to give the position back to Russell.

This instruction was based on a misunderstanding—the FIA had actually decided that Verstappen did not need to do so for the earlier incident after all. The stewards reviewed multiple sources of evidence, including in-car video and data, and concluded that Verstappen’s acceleration into Russell was the main cause of the collision.

This finding led directly to the penalty’s severity. Reactions after the race were intense.

Verstappen was visibly upset and left for his team debrief immediately following the checkered flag. Nico Rosberg, a former world champion and TV commentator, went as far as to call for Verstappen’s disqualification.

Some drivers and fans debated the fairness of the penalty. Red Bull stood by their driver during post-race interviews, citing miscommunication and strategy issues.

Earlier in the race, Verstappen had already faced challenges. During a safety car caused by an incident involving Kimi Antonelli, Red Bull opted to put Verstappen on hard compound tires.

This left him vulnerable as others gained an advantage on softer rubber, leading to more lost places as the finish approached. The combination of tire choice and the late collision turned what could have been a strong scoring day into a narrowly salvaged points finish for Verstappen.

Now, Verstappen’s penalty points and potential race ban are the main talking points as Formula 1 prepares for rounds in Canada, Austria, and Britain. The outcome in Spain also shifted the drivers’ championship picture, with Oscar Piastri moving further ahead.

Verstappen’s ability to avoid further penalties over the coming races will be closely watched by drivers, teams, and F1 fans around the world. Meanwhile, Hamilton responds to Ferrari claims as rivalry continues in the championship battle.