Overview
- Max Verstappen said his Spanish Grand Prix clash with George Russell was a mistake, calling it the lone misstep of his season in a Viaplay interview.
- The Barcelona contact drew a 10-second penalty and three licence points, costing places in the race and leaving him on 11 points for the 12‑month period, one short of a ban.
- Lando Norris heads the standings by 49 points over Verstappen, with Oscar Piastri second and 24 behind Norris after Norris’s win in São Paulo.
- Helmut Marko conceded Red Bull likely needs a setback for Norris, such as a retirement or collision, to keep Verstappen’s title hopes alive over the final rounds.
- Despite a pit-lane start to podium in Brazil, Verstappen lost ground to Norris, sharpening focus on McLaren’s intra-team approach and the extra points on offer at the Qatar Sprint.