George Russell characterized Max Verstappen’s driving style as “win it or bin it” following their collision during the 2024 Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona. The incident arose when Verstappen, struggling on hard tyres, was penalized for causing contact with Russell, who drives for Mercedes.
The clash marked another episode in the ongoing Verstappen versus Russell rivalry, with Verstappen receiving a 10-second time penalty after initially being instructed to give back position to Russell. Nico Rosberg described the move as Verstappen “ramming” into his competitor.
Russell Reflects on Verstappen’s Racing Style and Its Impact
Russell defended Verstappen’s approach but questioned the necessity of the contact on Sunday. Speaking to Channel 4, he said,
“He’s a hard racer, it’s as simple as that.”
Russell added,
“He’s a ‘win it or bin it’ kind of guy. In the past few years he has been out in front so we haven’t seen it. But we’ve all been racing Max for a long time, since 2011. That’s his style. I won’t say anything negative about it because he’s a four-time world champion and I’m a zero-time world champion so he’s obviously doing something right.”
Still, Russell expressed concern about the example set for younger drivers, acknowledging Verstappen’s mixed influence. He noted,
“But there are obviously a lot of young kids who look up to all of the F1 drivers. You see things like he did in Imola, and you’ve got to take your hat off.”
However, reflecting on the incident in Barcelona, Russell added,
“Then you see things like today and it seemed unnecessary. I don’t really understand the rationale.”
Challenges in Responding to Verstappen’s Aggression on Track
In response to Russell’s criticism, Verstappen had previously made a sarcastic remark regarding the impact of his driving on young fans, saying he would “bring some tissues.” After some delay, the Red Bull driver expressed regret and reportedly apologized during the team’s debrief, as confirmed by team principal Christian Horner.
Russell admitted there is little that can be done differently to counter Verstappen’s aggressive tactics. He explained,
Image of: George Russell
“Not really. You just continue racing as you do,”
emphasizing the acceptance needed when competing against such a driver.
Russell further commented on the race outcome,
“We came home ahead of him. He probably could have fought back to the podium because Charles and I, on the soft tyre, were dropping. It would have come back to him.”
He concluded,
“I’m just glad we had no damage and could finish the race in P4.”
Detailed Account of the Collision Between Russell and Verstappen
Describing the incident itself, Russell remarked,
“From my side, he just crashed into me! So I was a little bit surprised.”
He recalled mild contact at Turn 1 where Verstappen retained position, then additional contact at Turn 5 after Verstappen was required to yield back the place.
Russell said,
“But when he did that, he went on the throttle and crashed into the side of me.”
He shared further thoughts:
“I don’t know what was going on. We finished P4, he got the penalty and finished P10, so I won’t lose sleep over it.”
Reflecting on the rarity of such maneuvers, Russell added,
“I’ve seen those sort of moves in simulator racing before. I’ve never seen it in Formula 1. It’s down to the stewards if they think it was deliberate.”
Broader Implications for Mercedes and Upcoming Race Conditions
Despite the clash overshadowing Russell’s strong result at the Spanish Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver remains hopeful for improved performance conditions in the future. Without any major car upgrades forthcoming, Russell cited weather as a crucial factor for competitiveness.
He noted,
“Right now, all we need is a cloudy day and cold conditions,”
elaborating,
“The trends are clear – when it’s cool, or a night race, we are pretty good. When it’s hot and toasty the McLarens go off into the distance and we go backwards.”
