Wild Verstappen clash may trigger contract exit clause

Conspiracy theories are gaining traction after Max Verstappen's controversial contact with George Russell in Barcelona, which has left his championship campaign in serious jeopardy.

Heading into the Spanish Grand Prix, speculation was already swirling that a clause in Verstappen's Red Bull contract could allow him to exit if he falls below third in the standings by the end of June.

He was on track for P3 in Sunday's race — until a late safety car forced him onto hard tyres, leaving him vulnerable. What followed shocked many: a seemingly deliberate swerve into George Russell, which some say resembled a "battering ram" manoeuvre.

"I'll bring some tissues for him next time," Verstappen quipped after Russell questioned whether his behaviour set the right example for young fans.

While there were calls for disqualification, the stewards handed Verstappen a 10-second penalty, dropping him to P10 and nearly 50 points behind leader Oscar Piastri.

The incident also left him with just one point remaining on his FIA super license — meaning any further offence before June ends could trigger an automatic race ban.

"He used his car like a battering ram," said GPDA director Alex Wurz to ORF.

Even Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, apparently still wooing Verstappen for 2026, didn't hide his disapproval: "If it was road rage, then it's not good."

On Sky Italia, Wolff added: "It was like certain taxi drivers in Rome or Naples, who go crazy in traffic. If he did it out of anger, it's unacceptable."

Some believe Verstappen was simply responding to a move Russell made after the safety car, pulling alongside and whacking the Mercedes to make a point.

"I was rightly penalised for that manoeuvre and I have nothing else to add," Verstappen said.

"In life, you shouldn't regret too many things — because you only live once."

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko defended his star driver. "The emotions were running high during that whole situation. This is part of racing," he told reporters.

"But the biggest problem is what is and isn't allowed — the driving standards. That frustration was reflected in his driving style."

Dutch commentator Tom Coronel believes Verstappen's aggressive stance was strategic. "He knows he's not winning this championship," he told Viaplay. "So maybe he thought, 'I'll show my teeth now.'"

Even Verstappen admitted: "I never said I was in the title fight. If McLaren does everything right, they're unbeatable."

But the wildest take came from former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher, who suggested Verstappen may have orchestrated the penalty on purpose — to edge closer to activating that rumoured Red Bull exit clause.

"You have to pay close attention to why such things happen and why he would get an unnecessary penalty like that," he told Sky Deutschland.

"We know about the clause. It's a critical phase."