Max Verstappen fumes after Red Bull hands him Spanish GP order
Summary
Max Verstappen was furious after Red Bull forced him to give up second in Spanish GP, insisting he would have crashed with Hamilton. He dropped to fourth, then back to third after Hamilton retired.
Max Verstappen was left furious after Red Bull ordered him to surrender second place early in the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit, a call he felt was both wrong and dangerous.
Why it matters:
The incident exposes friction between Verstappen and race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, with every point crucial in the 2026 title fight. Such orders could affect driver trust and team morale, especially as Red Bull battles to close the gap to Mercedes and McLaren.
The details:
- Starting third, Verstappen forced Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari wide at Turn 2 after an aggressive move into Turn 1, then passed Kimi Antonelli for second.
- Hamilton argued the place should be given back, but Verstappen insisted they would have collided otherwise.
- After several laps, Lambiase ordered him to comply. Verstappen responded angrily: "Mate, what the f*** are you guys talking about? He would've shunted it." He then let both cars through, dropping to fourth.
- He later moved back to third when Hamilton retired with brake failure.
What's next:
The order may leave lingering frustration, but Verstappen's pace suggests he can recover. Managing these moments will be key for Red Bull's season.
Original Article :https://racingnews365.com/max-verstappen-fumes-after-being-handed-spanish-gp-ord...