Good that Verstappen took accountability – Russell

Canadian Grand Prix

Venue: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal Dates: 13-15 June Race start: 19:00 BST on Sunday

George Russell says that it was “good” that Max Verstappen took accountability for colliding with the Mercedes driver during the Spanish Grand Prix – but says he was “a bit surprised” the Dutchman did so.

The world champion is one licence point away from a race ban as a result of deliberately hitting Russell’s car as his race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya unravelled in the late stages after a safety car.

In addition to three licence points, Red Bull’s Verstappen was also given a 10-second penalty, which dropped him from fifth to 10th in the results.

Russell said: “His actions cost him, and they benefited me. So, I should be almost thanking him. But it’s good to see that he took accountability, which I was a bit surprised.”

Asked what he thought Verstappen was trying to achieve in the manoeuvre at Barcelona’s Turn Five, Russell said: “I think he was trying to run me off the road, but I don’t think he was trying to intentionally crash into me. I think he just misjudged it.”

If Verstappen receives one more point on his licence over the next two races in Canada this weekend and Austria at the end of the month, he will be banned for a grand prix.

After Austria, two points come off his licence, but that still leaves him on nine points – three away from a ban – until the Mexico City Grand Prix in October.

Russell said a ban for Verstappen would be deserved if it came to that.

“If he gets his 12 points, it wouldn’t be unjust, you know,” the Briton said. “So that’s literally why it’s there.”

He said he thought the penalty Verstappen received in Spain was “fair”, but added: “If it took me out of the race, then it needs to be deemed differently.”

Russell said Verstappen’s rivals could benefit from his precarious position at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.

“We have to be smart and use it to our advantage,” he said.

“I’m going to continue racing exactly the same because at the end of the day, that’s what I did last week and I benefited from it. And as we said, if you do keep driving like that, you’ll accumulate your points and you’ll get punished. Ultimately, he got punished for it.

“So, from my side, kind of long may it continue and for a neutral, it spices things up a little bit.”

Russell said he had met Verstappen by chance at Nice airport on Sunday on his way to watch the French Open final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannick Sinner.

“We bumped into each other at the airport a few days ago on Sunday morning when I was going to Roland Garros,” he said.