Last Updated on June 18 2025, 1:06 pm
Russell accused of targeting Verstappen as McLaren driver adds fuel to the fire – While the Mercedes driver emerged victorious from the dramatic Canadian Grand Prix, the real fireworks ignited off the track, with accusations of gamesmanship and dirty tactics now swirling around George Russell. While McLaren dealt with an internal collision, the spotlight shifted onto Russell after suspicions arose that he had tried to engineer a penalty for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, possibly to eliminate him from the next race in Austria.
What began as an intense battle behind the safety car has escalated into one of the most controversial moments of the 2025 Formula 1 season. And now, it’s not just fans who are speculating. McLaren’s own Formula E driver, Sam Bird, has publicly stated that Russell’s manoeuvre on the track was not a racing incident, but rather a deliberate attempt to remove the four-time world champion from the race before he could compete on one of his strongest circuits.
A suspicious slowdown on the straight
Speaking on the Chequered Flag Podcast, Bird analysed the moment in question: an unusual slowdown by Russell between turns 12 and 13, with Verstappen running side by side behind the safety car. It was a split-second decision, but Bird believes it was made with clear intent.
“Russell braked on a straight when Verstappen was right next to him,” he said.
“If I’m being cynical, I’d say he did it deliberately because, according to the rules, you can’t overtake behind the safety car. Verstappen ended up slightly ahead.”
The incident raised eyebrows during the closing stages of the Grand Prix and became a talking point because of its timing and what was at stake. Verstappen is currently sitting on 11 penalty points. One more and he will face an automatic one-race ban — a potentially massive blow to Red Bull’s title hopes and a golden opportunity for rivals like Mercedes to gain ground.
For Bird, the scenario is uncomfortably convenient
“Let’s be honest — if Verstappen had been handed a penalty point, he’d be banned for Austria. George won there last year. Max is unbeatable at the Red Bull Ring. So yes, you could absolutely view it as a tactical move,” he added.
“But that’s just the cynic in me talking.”
Verstappen’s absence would represent a seismic shift in the championship narrative, particularly given Red Bull’s historical dominance at this track. Whether or not that thought crossed Russell’s mind, Bird believes the move was suspicious at best and strategic at worst.
Red Bull’s protest collapses under scrutiny
Predictably, Red Bull didn’t take the incident lying down. In the hours following the race, the team lodged not one, but two formal protests against Russell’s actions. One was eventually withdrawn. The remaining claim, that Russell had acted in an unsporting and dangerous manner, was dismissed by the FIA more than four hours after the chequered flag.
Despite the rejection, Red Bull stood by its decision to escalate the matter.
“It’s our right to question incidents like that,’ said Christian Horner, speaking on the red carpet at the premiere of the new Brad Pitt Formula 1 film in New York. ‘We don’t regret it. We were looking out for our driver.”
However, the FIA saw no grounds for sanctioning the Mercedes driver. The ruling did little to calm the tempers raging behind the scenes.
Toto Wolff, never one to miss an opportunity to criticise Horner’s team, described the protest as “pathetic”. Speaking to reporters at the same film premiere, the Mercedes boss mocked Red Bull’s behaviour.
“It took them two hours to submit it, and then they withdrew one because it was obviously nonsense. It was just petty.”
However, the damage was not just administrative. According to Russell, the fallout meant that key Mercedes staff missed flights home as the FIA proceedings in Montreal dragged on late into the night.
“Shov [Andrew Shovlin] and Ron [Meadows] both got caught up in it,” Russell explained. “It was a waste of everyone’s time, frankly.”
Russell disgusted by Red Bull protest
Was it gamesmanship or desperation?
The broader question now being asked around the paddock is whether Russell crossed a line, or whether Red Bull, currently experiencing a rare period of poor performance and internal uncertainty, is simply lashing out in frustration. Either explanation offers a glimpse into the high-pressure mind games that now define modern Formula 1.
For Verstappen, the danger remains very real. He is still on the cusp of a suspension. With rivals clearly aware of the tightrope he’s walking, the psychological warfare is intensifying.
Despite benefiting from the controversy, Mercedes insists there’s nothing underhanded at play. However, in an era where every tenth of a second counts and championships are often won in the stewards’ room rather than on the track, the idea of deliberate provocation—however unlikely—isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.
FIA stewards bend the rules in Canada
Is there a deeper strategy?
Adding to the intrigue are the strategic implications. With Verstappen so close to a race ban, his rivals may have devised a new strategy: provoke him, box him in and force him to make a mistake, then let the penalty points system do the rest. Bird’s comments may be cynical, but they’re not implausible.
And it’s not just Red Bull that is worried about this. The FIA has already faced criticism this year over inconsistent penalties and a system that allows cumulative points to decide title outcomes. Verstappen himself called the penalty points saga ‘childish’ and ‘a waste of energy’ after being repeatedly questioned about it in Montreal. But the rules are the rules — and his rivals know it.
The Austrian Grand Prix now looms large
The upcoming race in Austria carries added weight. It’s a track where Verstappen has reigned supreme for almost ten years. His potential absence would dramatically alter the championship’s dynamics and give Russell a chance to secure consecutive victories in Spielberg.
For now, Verstappen remains in the title hunt. However, his every move — every aggressive corner, every safety car restart — will now be scrutinised. And, thanks to Bird’s provocative theory, fans and pundits alike will be questioning whether Russell was racing hard or playing dirty.
In a sport where success hinges on the slimmest of margins and political warfare is rife, the truth may lie somewhere in between. But one thing’s for sure: the fallout from Montreal won’t be dying down anytime soon.
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Quite right! The braking was gamesmanship … another word for “unsportsmanlike behaviour”.
I very much hope the Stewards keep a close eye on GR, as he’s escaped a few punishments in recent races now. WHY? HOW? Because by contrast MV has been harshly dealt with
I absolutely agree. I would love to support George, a local lad to me but with his behaviour both in the past and more recently I cannot.He appears to be able to get away with many deserved penalties. I think maybe being president of theGPDA has something to do with this , oh and being British .
Making rivals penalised is part of a game plan…any game
G R new what he was doing and he should get points things like that you don’t want to see
Funny how there is so much noise from so many about GR, and nothing from them when MV deliberately crashed into him last race. What if GR had crashed?
Have we not forgotten the reason max has 11 points these are for his dirty tactics in the past so it’s his fault if he’s in a position to get a ban and he would be the first to exploit the situation if it was reversed.