In a Spanish Grand Prix characterized by twists and turns and some controversy, the most spectacular moment of the race was consumed for several laps in the thrilling fight for the second position between George Russell and Max Verstappen: the British driver of Mercedes, also favored by a problem with the Dutchman’s car in the DRS, defended himself tooth and nail from the attacks of his rival, keeping his 2nd place for several laps.
Before the reigning world champion was able to definitively pass the number 63 after several unsuccessful attempts, the episode that made the battle more intense took place on lap 24: at the braking of the first corner – where Verstappen did not he had previously managed to get the better of Russell – the Red Bull driver aggressively ‘threw himself inside, with the overtaking which, at first, seemed complete. However, with one exceptional maneuver at the exit of the same stretch, the Englishman flanked Verstappen on the outside, and then ‘pushed’ number 1 outside the second corner, thus recovering his position at the entrance to the third.
George ⚔️ Max
A cracking mini-battle 🍿#SpanishGP # F1 pic.twitter.com/MIjrc5UM2r
– Formula 1 (@ F1) May 22, 2022
A move that, at first, had aroused Verstappen’s protests via radio, with the Race Direction not taking action for what happened. At the end of the race, however, the Red Bull driver himself recognized the correctness of a tough but fair challenge: “Fortunately, nothing happened with the FIA – he has declared Mad Max – I mean, there was a little bit of grip on the outside, so that’s okay with me. I think it was a tough but fair duel. Of course I shot outside, but I was also in George’s blind spot, so I guess he didn’t even realize where exactly you were, right? He surely knew I was there, but it’s always difficult to give space to a car at that point, because it’s a fast corner and you drift. So, if I had been in George’s positionprobably I would have done the samethat’s how we are done”.
A statement that Russell first of all agrees, who expressed his opinion as follows: “It is important to allow these hard and fair battles – he has declared – the rule is to give space to a car, I think this has been done and Max still had one wheel on the track. With the new Commissioners it is very difficult for everyone to try to understand each other. What we believe is necessary, which is what they expect of us, is that there is an open dialogue. I didn’t even know they were looking into this, why I felt the move was firm but fair“.
#Verstappen #Russell #chorus #Tough #fair #duel #FormulaPassionit