Good that Verstappen took accountability - Russell

Canadian Grand Prix

Venue: Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal Dates: 13-15 June Race start: 19:00 BST connected Sunday

Coverage: Live commentary of first practice, 3rd believe and qualifying connected BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, pinch FP2 connected Sports Extra. Race is connected BBC Radio 5 Live; unrecorded matter updates connected BBC Sport website and app

George Russell says that it was "good" that Max Verstappen took accountability for colliding pinch nan Mercedes driver during nan Spanish Grand Prix - but says he was "a spot surprised" nan Dutchman did so.

The world champion is 1 licence constituent distant from a title prohibition arsenic a consequence of deliberately hitting Russell's car arsenic his title astatine nan Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya unravelled successful nan precocious stages aft a information car.

In summation to 3 licence points, Red Bull's Verstappen was besides fixed a 10-second penalty, which dropped him from 5th to 10th successful nan results.

Russell said: "His actions costs him, and they benefited me. So, I should beryllium almost thanking him. But it's bully to spot that he took accountability, which I was a spot surprised."

Verstappen said connected societal media nan time aft nan incident that the move was "not correct and shouldn't person happened".

Asked what he thought Verstappen was trying to execute successful nan manoeuvre astatine Barcelona's Turn Five, Russell said: "I deliberation he was trying to tally maine disconnected nan road, but I don't deliberation he was trying to intentionally clang into me. I deliberation he conscionable misjudged it."

Verstappen had been connected people for a beardown 3rd spot successful Barcelona until nan information car was deployed precocious successful nan race.

On nan restart, Verstappen astir mislaid power connected nan exit of nan last corner. He was instantly passed by Ferrari's Charles Leclerc connected nan straight, nan 2 cars lightly rubbing arsenic their trajectories converged, and past by Russell into nan first corner, wherever they banged wheels.

Verstappen accused Russell of barging him disconnected nan way but aft stewards launched an investigation into him leaving nan way and gaining an advantage, Red Bull decided to inquire him to fto Russell by, to debar a penalty.

When Russell initially went to overtake Verstappen, nan Dutchman turned into him.

Verstappen said: "It was conscionable a very frustrating fewer laps successful a row. I sewage driven into successful nan straights. I almost collapsed already pinch these difficult tyres. Then I sewage driven into successful Turn One. Then they show maine that I person to springiness nan spot back. I'm like, 'that makes nary sense'. So it was for illustration a batch of things that conscionable came together."

Asked what he was trying to do successful nan Russell incident, he said: "It was a misjudgement, intelligibly successful nan corner. But you don't request to spell into afloat item of why, really and what. Everyone makes mistakes successful life."

If Verstappen receives 1 much constituent connected his licence complete nan adjacent 2 races successful Canada this play and Austria astatine nan extremity of nan month, he will beryllium banned for a expansive prix.

After Austria, 2 points travel disconnected his licence, but that still leaves him connected 9 points - 3 distant from a prohibition - until nan Mexico City Grand Prix successful October.

Russell said a prohibition for Verstappen would beryllium deserved if it came to that.

"If he gets his 12 points, it wouldn't beryllium unjust, you know," nan Briton said. "So that's virtually why it's there."

Verstappen said it would not alteration his attack to racing.

"I cannot conscionable backmost retired of everything," he said. "I'm conscionable going to title for illustration I ever do. I spot myself. I don't interest astir it. I conscionable travel present to race, and I will ever title hard."

Russell said he thought nan punishment Verstappen received successful Spain was "fair", but added: "If it took maine retired of nan race, past it needs to beryllium deemed differently."

Russell said Verstappen's rivals could use from his precarious position astatine this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.

"We person to beryllium smart and usage it to our advantage," he said.

"I'm going to proceed racing precisely nan aforesaid because astatine nan extremity of nan day, that's what I did past week and I benefited from it. And arsenic we said, if you do support driving for illustration that, you'll accumulate your points and you'll get punished. Ultimately, he sewage punished for it.

"So, from my side, benignant of agelong whitethorn it proceed and for a neutral, it spices things up a small bit."

Russell said he had met Verstappen by chance astatine Nice airdrome connected Sunday connected his measurement to watch nan French Open last betwixt Carlos Alcaraz and Jannick Sinner.

"We bumped into each different astatine nan airdrome a fewer days agone connected Sunday greeting erstwhile I was going to Roland Garros," he said.

"To beryllium honest, I wholly forgot astir Barcelona because he was location pinch his newborn. And we were astatine nan information machine. So he conscionable had a speedy chat and past he was engaged folding nan pram down to put it done nan machine."