Spain GP: why Red Bull asked Max Verstappen to let George Russell through (even though it wasn’t necessary). Red Bull explained why Max Verstappen was told to let Russell through at the Spanish GP.

At the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, one of the main questions was: why did Red Bull ask Max Verstappen to give up his position to George Russell after the first lap following the restart, with the Safety Car already back in the pits?

This, despite the fact that the stewards, after examining Russell’s move at Turn 1—which resulted in contact with car number 1, the RB21—classified it as a racing incident, since the Mercedes driver did not have full control of his car, meaning Max should have retained his position.

In hindsight, Red Bull’s call was easy to judge as hasty and incorrect, because it triggered Verstappen’s anger, which then led to the wheel bump delivered to George Russell. That move earned him a 10-second time penalty and 3 penalty points. As we know, Verstappen is now at risk of a race ban, since he only has one penalty point left to protect.

Christian Horner, the team principal, provided the explanation behind Red Bull’s decision. The British manager explained that the choice came down to timing. Usually, the race director spots an incident and refers it to the stewards, who then assess the situation and make a decision.

To speed things up and give Max a chance to reclaim the position using the Hard tyres on a scorching track, the Milton Keynes pit wall asked the four-time world champion to let Russell through.

“It’s very difficult for the team to make that decision, because you’re basing it on historical precedent. You try to anticipate what the stewards and the race director might decide. So, I think it would be beneficial for teams in that situation if the race director simply said: ‘Either give the position back or you’ll get a penalty,’ instead of trying to guess what the stewards are thinking.”

“Max was obviously upset because first of all, Charles Leclerc touched him on the straight. And then he got hit square on in Turn 1 by Russell. And with the regulations as they are now, it all depends on where your front axle is in relation to your opponent.”

“This year we’ve seen plenty of situations where penalties were handed out. We’ve seen incidents flagged and then reviewed by the stewards. So, you end up expecting a penalty. That’s why we said: ‘OK, you know what? We have to give up the position.’”