After the incident at the Spanish GP, Russell compared Verstappen to a Formula E driver and the social media response didn’t take long to arrive.
During the Spanish GP, George Russell and Max Verstappen made contact after the Safety Car, an episode that led the Mercedes driver to compare the Red Bull champion to a Formula E driver.
The end of the Spanish GP sparked more than a few debates, but the main one was certainly the contact between Russell and Verstappen. The final laps of the race were full of action thanks to a Safety Car that reshuffled the pack and led to another tense moment between the Mercedes and Red Bull drivers. The two made contact just a few laps after the restart, in an episode that immediately sparked discussion within the paddock and on social media. There were many reactions to the incident, especially since the contact didn’t appear accidental. Some, like 2016 F1 World Champion Nico Rosberg, called for Verstappen’s disqualification, while others, such as Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, noted that such a reaction is not suited to the track. A disqualification could still happen, but not directly due to the incident.
The harshest comment came from Russell. According to the Mercedes driver, the Red Bull champion’s on-track behavior was excessively aggressive and intentional. But what caused the most discussion was a later remark from the Briton. When asked if another driver could have reacted like Verstappen, he replied: “Not in Formula 1. Maybe in Formula E, a British Formula E driver.”
The reference, though not direct, was to Dan Ticktum, who races in the electric series with CUPRA Kiro. The British driver, who recently scored his first podium in Formula E in Tokyo, received a two-year conditional ban from motorsport in 2015. At the time racing in British F4, Ticktum deliberately caused an incident with Ricky Collard under Safety Car conditions at Silverstone. The two had previously made contact, and Ticktum had dropped to the back of the field. Under the Safety Car, he overtook multiple cars to reach Collard. As a result, he received the ban, which ended in 2016. The episode generated significant controversy, both for what happened and the severity of the penalty.
That incident, of course, tarnished his reputation, but after the ban he tried to rebuild his career. In 2016, he returned to racing, joined the Red Bull Junior Team in 2017, won the Macau Grand Prix, finished second in the 2018 European F3 Championship, won again in Macau, and completed his first F2 season in 2020. His two years in F2 featured poles, wins, and a 4th-place finish in 2021 against Oscar Piastri, Robert Shwartzman, and Zhou, but did little to change his image. Even though Ticktum didn’t repeat that kind of behavior, he remained hot-headed on the radio and in statements. Since joining Formula E in 2022, things have started to change. He remains outspoken over the radio, but now appears to be a mature and aggressive, yet more controlled, driver.
Ticktum’s response to Russell’s words
His image, however, especially outside the fully electric championship, remains the same. Ticktum is still often seen as the 2015 Silverstone driver, and Russell’s comments after the 2025 Spanish GP confirm it. But those comments didn’t go unnoticed by the CUPRA Kiro driver. His response came quickly—not with resentment, but showing maturity, calmness, and a touch of irony.
Still in Shanghai, where Formula E held Rounds 10 and 11, Ticktum posted an Instagram story on the matter: “Good evening sports fans, hope you’re having a pleasant Sunday. I had a good afternoon with the team and some of the Porsche guys here in Shanghai and I’m now heading back to my hotel. However, it has been brought to my attention by the world of Twitter/X that a certain Formula 1 driver, not naming names, but his is George Russell, made some comments about a certain Formula E driver. He didn’t mention my name but it’s pretty obvious he meant me. I’d like to respond to the comments he made, I think as a team radio message.”
The Brit continued: “Number one, thank you for the free publicity. It’s welcome any day of the week. And number two, even though what Max did today was a bit questionable, being compared to him at any point in my career is a positive, in my view. Goodbye.”
Leave a Reply