George Russell said that he was "surprised" to see Max Verstappen take responsibility for their coming-together at the Spanish Grand Prix two weeks ago. 

Verstappen was given a 10-second time penalty which dropped him to 10th after colliding with Russell in a move the Mercedes driver said he had never seen in Formula One.

The Dutchman was also handed three penalty points on his super licence, which puts him on 11 for the last year.

Points stay on a driver's licence for one year until they expire, but Verstappen does not drop the first of his current points haul until June 30, after Montreal and Austria. 

"His actions cost him, and they benefited me. So, I should be almost thanking him. But it's good to see that he took accountability, which I was a bit surprised," Russell said. 

The reigning world champion posted on social media after the race in Barcelona that the move was "not right and shouldn't have happened". 

Asked what he thought Verstappen was trying to achieve in the manoeuvre at Barcelona's turn five, Russell said: "I think he was trying to run me off the road. 

"But I don't think he was trying to intentionally crash into me. I think he just misjudged it."

 

 

 

 

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Verstappen had been on course for a strong third place in Barcelona until the safety car was deployed late in the race.

Upon the restart, Verstappen nearly lost control on the exit of the first corner and was immediately passed by the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc on the straight. 

Russell then closed in as he banged wheels with the Red Bull driver, with Verstappen accusing the Briton of barging him off the track. 

But after the stewards launched an investigation into him leaving the track and gaining an advantage, Red Bull decided to ask him to let Russell by, to avoid a penalty.

When Russell initially went to overtake Verstappen after he had appeared to slow down to let him through, the Dutchman turned into him. 

This weekend's race marks the first of two when Verstappen will walk a penalty tightrope after the contentious events that unfolded with Russell. 

But the Mercedes driver said a ban for Verstappen would be deserved if it came to that.

"If he gets his 12 points, it wouldn't be unjust, you know," the Briton said. "So that's literally why it's there."

Verstappen said it would not change his approach to racing, saying: "I cannot just back out of everything. I'm just going to race like I always do. I trust myself.

"I don't worry about it. I just come here to race, and I will always race hard."

Russell said he thought the penalty Verstappen received in Spain was "fair", but added: "If it took me out of the race, then it needs to be deemed differently."