Helmut Marko Shocked by Max Verstappen’s Wild Spanish GP Move

Red Bull Racing advisor Helmut Marko expressed confusion over Max Verstappen’s “thought process” during the closing laps of the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix. The trouble began on lap 61 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya during a key safety car restart.

Verstappen, who was in third place, was overtaken by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on the main straight. From there, events escalated quickly, forcing Verstappen into decisions that ultimately cost the team valuable points.

In a ServusTV interview, Marko explained how Verstappen’s race unraveled. After losing his position, Verstappen engaged in a tense battle with Mercedes’ George Russell, who attempted to pass at Turn 1 but ran wide.

Marko said Verstappen understood the rules and claimed Russell was out of control, leaving him no choice but to go off track. Internally, the team viewed the incident as a 50-50, but the stewards issued Verstappen a 10-second penalty since it occurred immediately after the safety car restart.

Although Verstappen was reluctant to yield the position to Russell, he did so under protest. Shortly after, on lap 64, Verstappen appeared to let Russell pass by lifting off the throttle, only to accelerate suddenly, causing another clash.

Marko admitted he was unsure what Verstappen was thinking in the heat of the moment. The stewards handed Verstappen another 10-second penalty and added three penalty points to his license, bringing him close to a potential race ban. This dropped Verstappen to tenth place, his worst finish of the season.

Marko also noted ongoing friction between Verstappen and Russell, mentioning prior issues in previous races. He called Verstappen’s move unnecessary and blamed the loss of points on a series of incidents fueled by emotional reactions.

Verstappen later issued a public apology, admitting his actions were wrong and the collision should not have happened. Marko said apologies are rarely given by Verstappen and pointed to the existing tension between the two drivers.

Following the race, Red Bull opted not to hold an extensive debrief with Verstappen, recognizing emotions were running high. The team decided to let the drivers cool off separately rather than risk another late confrontation.

With penalty points mounting and tensions rising, attention now turns to how Verstappen and Red Bull will handle future battles with Russell and other competitors as the 2025 Formula 1 season progresses.

Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.