The Formula 1 world is again in turmoil after the controversial clash between Max Verstappen and George Russell during the Grand Prix of Spain on 1 June 2025. New onboard images of Verstappen have brought up the discussion about the incident, and now Kelly Piquet, the girlfriend of Verstappen, has mixed with a Cryptian statement: ” Her comment, posted on Instagram on 5 June 2025, follows the release of images that suggest that Verstappen did not intentionally enter Russell, as was initially assumed. The FIA ​​is now considering reviewing the serious punishment of Verstappen – a time penalty of ten seconds and three penalty points on its super license, which further increases the tension around this incident.

The incident took place in the final phase of the race in Barcelona, ​​when a late Safety Car turned upside down. Verstappen, who seemed to be on his way to third place, got hard tires that, according to him, offered “no grip”. After a touché with Charles Leclerc in the first corner, Verstappen was instructed by his engineer Gianpiero Lambian to return his position to Russell, who had previously tapped him. Although the FIA ​​later ruled that this was not necessary, the frustration at Verstappen led to a collision in bend 5. The stewards labeled the action as intentionally, which resulted in a punishment that Verstappen lowered from P5 to P10, causing him to lose 24 points on the Oscar Piastri championship leader.

However, the onboard images, shared by @f1bigdata on X, show a different perspective. Verstappen seems to send the bend normally without making a clear movement to Russell, which followed the racing line and cut the bend sharply. “Max did nothing wrong,” wrote a fan on X, and Kelly Piquet seems to share this opinion. Her message, “It’s time to tell the truth,” posted next to a photo of Verstappen in his Red Bull, is seen as a call to reconsider the punishment. Although Piquet did not give any further details, her statement, which went viral with thousands of likes and reactions, has strengthened public support for Verstappen. Fans on X, such as @henwestra, emphasize that Russell may have been responsible for contact through his aggressive line.

The FIA’s announcement on 6 June 2025 to revise the punishment comes in the midst of growing criticism of the inconsistency of the stewards. Red Bull team boss Christian Horner called the original decision a “capital estimation error,” mainly because Verstappen did not have to give his position back. Former driver Ralf Schumacher supported Verstappen in the podcastBackstage pit lane, arguing that the punishment was too heavy and that Verstappen was dragged by frustration over the tire choice. On the other hand, critics such as Nico Rosberg and Damon Hill maintain that Verstappen was going too far, although Hill admitted to X that the action seemed “badly estimated” instead of deliberately.

The revision of the punishment is crucial for Verstappen, who balances on his license on the edge of a suspension with eleven penalty points. A racing ban would seriously harm its title chances in 2025, especially with McLaren’s dominant form. Verstappen himself admitted in a statement on 2 June that the collision “should not have happened” and pointed to the emotions that played through the tire choice and the Safety Car. His modest reaction contrasts with the fierce comments from Russell, which, according to @fiaasteward on X, is now being investigated for a swearing after the incident, which could possibly lead to a suspension of three races.

Kelly Piquet’s remark not only fueled the discussion about the collision, but also the attention on the wider dynamics in Formula 1. While the FIA ​​is reconsidering its decision, the rivalry between Verstappen and Russell remains a hot issue. With the Grand Prix of Canada on June 13, fans are eagerly looking forward to the outcome of the revision and / or Piquet’s call for “the truth” will influence the FIA’s final judgment. For the time being, Verstappen remains determined, but the pressure of public opinion and the FIA ​​remains felt in this tumultuous season.