The FIA has officially responded after receiving formal complaints from George Russell and former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher accusing Max Verstappen of unsporting behavior and deliberately sabotaging his own Spanish Grand Prix performance.

The controversial incident, which occurred in the final laps at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, saw Verstappen receive a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points for aggressive contact with Russell, following a chaotic restart that had already seen the Red Bull driver lose positions and pace on hard tyres.

In the wake of the race, Schumacher shocked the paddock by suggesting that Verstappen’s actions may have been part of a calculated move to trigger a release clause in his Red Bull contract—potentially allowing the four-time world champion to exit the team at season’s end. George Russell supported the call for further investigation, submitting a formal statement to the FIA citing Verstappen’s “strange and aggressive behavior” as endangering sportsmanship and the integrity of the race.

After internal deliberation and analysis of extensive telemetry data, the FIA released an official statement addressing the accusations:

“Following the submission of formal complaints and thorough review of data from the Spanish Grand Prix, the FIA has concluded that while the maneuver executed by Max Verstappen at Turn 5 was overly aggressive and not in line with the spirit of fair competition, there is no conclusive evidence of intentional sabotage or malicious intent aimed at influencing championship outcomes or contractual conditions.”

The statement continued:

“The FIA acknowledges that tensions ran high during the final stages of the Grand Prix and that Verstappen’s behavior was not exemplary. However, the penalty issued during the race remains proportionate and final. No further action will be taken.”

Max Verstappen responded after the FIA’s verdict was made public:

“I’ve always raced hard, but fair. There’s no hidden agenda, no conspiracy. I want to win—always. Anyone who says otherwise clearly doesn’t understand what I stand for.”

Red Bull’s Christian Horner and Helmut Marko both fiercely defended their driver, calling the accusations “nonsense” and “embarrassing speculation.” Marko, clearly frustrated, added, “The next time I see Ralf [Schumacher], I’ll tell him to stop spreading rubbish.”

With Verstappen now sitting just one penalty point away from a race ban, all eyes will be on the Canadian Grand Prix as the title race intensifies. The FIA has stated it will be “closely monitoring” all driver conduct moving forward.