Damon Hill, the 1996 Formula 1 World Champion and known critic of Max Verstappen, expressed surprise and apparent disapproval after Verstappen was awarded the Driver of the Day at the Spanish Grand Prix. Verstappen’s race had been marred by a controversial collision with Mercedes’ George Russell, for which he received a 10-second time penalty. Despite the incident, fans voted him as the standout performer of the race, prompting Hill to post a shocked emoji on Instagram, signaling his disbelief at the fan-fueled recognition.
The incident in question occurred late in the race after a Safety Car period, during which Red Bull pitted Verstappen for hard tyres. This strategic move backfired when he lost grip and nearly spun out, leading to contact with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and subsequently George Russell. As Verstappen tried to rejoin the racing line, he made aggressive contact with Russell. Although Red Bull initially told Verstappen to return the position to avoid a penalty, he ultimately made a forceful move that resulted in a post-race penalty and dropped him from fifth to tenth in the final standings.
Despite the penalty, Verstappen received 19.7% of the Driver of the Day votes, surpassing race winner Oscar Piastri, who secured 14.5%. Nico Hulkenberg, who finished a remarkable fifth for the underperforming Sauber team, earned 10.6%, while Leclerc and Lando Norris followed closely. Hill, who has often compared Verstappen’s aggressive racing style to Michael Schumacher’s controversial tactics, viewed the contact with Russell as unnecessarily excessive, suggesting Verstappen overstepped once again.
Verstappen later admitted that his actions were wrong. In a rare display of humility, he posted a statement on social media acknowledging that the frustration caused by Red Bull’s strategy contributed to a move that “shouldn’t have happened.” He emphasized his commitment to the team and expressed regret over the clash. Red Bull boss Christian Horner also revealed that Verstappen had apologized during the post-race debrief, indicating some level of accountability from the Dutch driver.
The collision also had broader implications. Verstappen was handed three penalty points on his superlicence, bringing his total to 11 within a 12-month period. This puts him just one point away from an automatic one-race suspension under F1’s current rules. With the next two races in Canada and Austria approaching, Verstappen must be especially cautious to avoid triggering a ban. His earliest chance to reduce his penalty total comes on June 30, when points from last year’s Austrian GP expire.
Despite the current troubles, Hill warned that Red Bull and Verstappen should not be underestimated. While Piastri now leads the championship by 49 points after his fifth win of the season, Hill likened Red Bull to a “wounded animal,” dangerous and desperate. He praised Piastri for his dominant performance but cautioned that the title race remains far from over, with plenty of drama still likely to unfold as the season progresses.
