One moment in F1 2025 leaves Max Verstappen regretting his actions.
Max Verstappen has admitted that crashing into George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix out of frustration was “a mistake”.
Red Bull’s Verstappen was given a 10-second penalty for deliberating hitting Russell’s Mercedes as his race unraveled in Barcelona, leaving him one penalty point away from a ban at the time.
The four-time world champion dropped from fifth to 10th and lost nine world championship points. Verstappen sits 49 points adrift of McLaren’s Lando Norris in the drivers’ standings with three rounds to go.
As he reflected on his 2025 season during the Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen confessed that everything “went red” for him in Spain as he owned up to his misjudgement.
“The only point of criticism is obviously Barcelona,” the Dutchman told broadcaster Viaplay.
“That move itself – and the entire incident – was not good, but that’s also because I care a lot. I could have thought, ‘this car isn’t working anyway, so I let it go’.
“I can’t accept – towards myself – stepping out of the car and knowing that I didn’t give everything. Then I get angry with myself, so I can’t drive at 80 per cent.
“When I get out of the car, I always need to be able to tell to myself, ‘I did everything I could’.”
Verstappen insisted that he learned from his mistake and vowed such moments “won’t happen again”.
“That’s why I was so angry in Barcelona – first with what happened on the straight at the restart, then into Turn 1, and then of course when I was told to give the position back. That’s when all signs went red,” he said.
“That was a mistake from my side, and of course I learn from it.
“Those moments won’t happen again next year, even if we’re in a similar situation with the car. These are the small things you learn from, but overall, in terms of performance, the season was absolutely good.”
Barcelona aside, Verstappen has been exemplary this season, and charged back into unlikely title contention following a remarkable resurgence from Red Bull after the summer break.
But Verstappen has all but ruled himself out of winning a fifth consecutive world championship, despite his stunning fightback to third from the pitlane in Brazil.
