Max Verstappen Explodes at Charles Leclerc After Late-Race Clash in Spain

Max Verstappen was left fuming after a tense moment with Charles Leclerc in final laps of the Spanish Grand Prix, accusing the Ferrari driver of ramming into him during a dramatic restart.

It all unfolded on Lap 61 of 66. As the safety car peeled into the pits and the field bunched up for a final run to the finish, Verstappen lit up the rear tires exiting the final corner, nearly spinning as he tried to get the jump. The mistake opened the door for Leclerc, who pounced and slipped past him into Turn 1.

But the chaos didn’t end there. Verstappen immediately cut across the chicane to hold off George Russell behind him, prompting fresh scrutiny as he retained fourth place despite going off track.

On team radio, the Red Bull driver was livid: “He rammed into me. He did the same. That’s a penalty!”

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc during Imola GP.

Jayce Illman/Getty Images

From the replay, the contact appeared menial at best, with Leclerc executing a overtake following Verstappen’s error with only a slight touching of the two cars.

The moment capped off a challenging weekend for the reigning world champion, who has struggled to match the pace of the McLarens. Oscar Piastri held firm to take a win, with Lando Norris and Leclerc rounding out the podium.

Verstappen ultimately was handed a 10-second penalty. He was told by his team to swap the position with George Russell but was unhappy with the call and made contact with the Mercedes star.

As the title race tightens and tempers flare, Verstappen’s clashes are becoming a headline fixture of the season.