George Russell’s collision with Max Verstappen on Saturday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix remains one of the biggest talking points of the weekend, after the British driver went into the side of the Dutchman on the opening lap of the sprint race.
Verstappen and Russell started the first sprint race of the 2023 F1 season in third and fourth, before going side by side through the first two corners.
The pair got through Turn 1 cleanly before Russell locked-up on the inside of Verstappen at Turn 2, resulting in the pair colliding after the Mercedes driver under-steered into the reigning World Champion’s left sidepod.
The collision resulted in a gaping hole in the side of Verstappen’s left sidepod, whilst it also damaged the Dutchman’s floor.
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Russell got ahead of Verstappen following the incident, only to be overtaken by Verstappen a few laps later.
No investigation took place by the stewards following the incident; however, this didn’t stop Verstappen from having a go at Russell in parc ferme after the sprint.
Wolff clearly viewed the collision as a racing incident and added that they’ve likely collided in the same way before, whilst also mentioning that perhaps Verstappen should’ve been more aware given he was on the outside.
“I believe they have already experienced this situation together at least 50 times in their lives, from go-karts to single-seaters,” Wolff told Sky Germany.
“If you stay on the outside, you’re done. He [Russell] is completely inside now, he understeers a bit, he pulls in outside, bang.”
Wolff was then informed that ex-F1 driver Ralf Schumacher disagreed with his view on the incident, to which the Austrian asked: “But if you’re on the outside, you know you have to stay there, don’t you?”
Schumacher noted that Verstappen didn’t have to remain on the outside and that whilst the incident wasn’t “intentional”, Russell should’ve been more aware of who he was battling, before noting that “s*** happens”.
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“Well, but I didn’t make the rule,” Schumacher said. “You all made it together. It didn’t exist that the outside had to stay outside.
“So it’s definitely not intentional. No question about it. And Max, he’s not leaving any space on the outside of the corner. That’s just not enough space.
“S*** happens. That’s just the way it is.”