Steiner: Spanish GP Clash Made Verstappen 'Even More Unstoppable'
Former F1 team boss Guenther Steiner argues that Max Verstappen's penalty-inducing collision with George Russell in Spain was a valuable lesson. He believes the points loss taught Verstappen to avoid unnecessary risks, making the reigning champion an even more clinical and unstoppable force on track.
Guenther Steiner believes Max Verstappen's costly clash with George Russell at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix was a pivotal learning moment that has made the reigning champion an even more formidable and clinical driver. The former Haas team principal argues the incident, which cost Verstappen points through a penalty, served as a crucial investment in his future dominance.
Why it matters:
Verstappen's aggressive racing style has been a hallmark of his success, but it has occasionally led to controversial on-track moments. Steiner's analysis suggests that a key penalty for deliberate contact may have been the catalyst for Verstappen to refine his approach, eliminating a potential weakness. If true, this evolution could make the already dominant driver even harder to beat, tightening his grip on the championship.
The details:
- The incident occurred after a restart where Russell made contact with Verstappen, forcing the Red Bull driver off-track. Verstappen rejoined ahead but was instructed to give the position back.
- While ostensibly letting Russell pass, Verstappen drove into the side of the Mercedes, an action that earned him a 10-second time penalty, dropping him from 5th to 10th place.
- Steiner frames this as a critical lesson. "I think that moment made him aware that he cannot do these things anymore because he loses too many points," he stated on The Red Flags Podcast.
- He views the points loss not as a pure cost, but as an "investment" that prevented future, potentially more costly, errors. "He learned, and I think that helped him going forward," Steiner added.
The big picture:
Steiner's commentary taps into the ongoing narrative about Verstappen's maturation. The driver has evolved from a thrilling but sometimes reckless talent into a calculated multiple world champion. This incident, according to Steiner, accelerated that process by providing a clear, immediate consequence for a loss of temper. It forced a recalibration where pure speed is now coupled with even sharper racecraft and risk assessment.
What's next:
The frightening prospect for rivals, as posed by Steiner, is a "more clinical Max Verstappen." If the Spanish GP clash truly marked a turning point where Verstappen internalized the need to avoid unnecessary, points-costing skirmishes, his championship rivals face an even more complete competitor. His path to a potential fifth title may be defined not just by sheer pace, but by an almost mistake-free strategic execution born from that Barcelona lesson.