Helmut Marko has no explanation for Verstappen, Russell contact

Red Bull pinpointed the Spanish GP as a potential Championship-defining moment, with the Austrian team optimistic the new flexi-wing directive would turn the tide in the favour.

Christian Horner and Helmut Marko, to varying degrees, were vocal about their optimism heading into Barcelona.

Ultimately, this conviction was misplaced – as McLaren maintained an advantage over the rest of the field.

Thanks to a crafty three-stop strategy, Red Bull managed to put the papaya duo under pressure.

This hard work was undone after the Safety Car, which triggered a sequence of events that culminated in a 10-second penalty for Verstappen after intentionally hitting into George Russell.

Helmut Marko admits he does not have an explanation for the Dutchman’s decision-making.

Helmut Marko cannot understand Max Verstappen “thought process” during Russell clash

There are few people with greater confidence in the abilities of Max Verstappen than Helmut Marko.

The 81-year-old was instrumental in the 4-time Champion’s progression into Formula 1 and later ascension to Red Bull.

Because of this, Marko is typically one of the most vocal to praise and, in other cases, defend Verstappen from race to race.

Last weekend was an exception, though, with the Austrian offering no defence for his driver’s incident with George Russell.

Marko has provided some insight into why Red Bull initially asked Verstappen to give Russell the place back – and his reaction to the collision:

“The internal discussion was that it was 50-50,” he told ServusTV, per motorsport.com.

“Since it happened right after the Safety Car period, the impact of a 10-second penalty it much greater than if it happens mid-race.

“So, that was one thing.

“Max didn’t want to give the position back, but he was instructed to do so. He did it under protest.

“Max lifted off the throttle, so we all assumed he was letting Russell through.

“And then suddenly he accelerated again. I don’t know what kind of misjudgement or thought process was going on inside him.

“And then, as they say, all hell broke loose.”

A pivotal moment in the Championship

For all the emphasis on the flexi-wing regulations, the impact of these changes was minimal.

To some extent, it could be argued that Red Bull were competitive enough to put McLaren under pressure throughout the race.

Even taking into account their bold strategy, Verstappen was still contending for the victory until the final stages.

At the same time, there is no evidence to suggest this was directly because of the FIA’s clampdown on front wings.

The reigning Champion has already claimed two race victories in 2025.

Regardless of the technical directive’s impact, Spain was still host to a pivotal moment in this season’s title race.

Max Verstappen dropped from 3rd at the restart to 10th after his penalty was applied – a significant 14 point loss.

This has allowed both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to create a sizable buffer in the Championship.

Even if the Red Bull driver had managed to cling into the podium, the task of defending his title would have been difficult.

After losing so many points, however, this challenge is far more unlikely.

Unless additional upgrades to the RB21 can arrive quickly and deliver instant performance, Red Bull will be reliant on Verstappen producing some heroics (alongside some blunders from McLaren) to reassert themselves in the title race.