In a dramatic twist following the Spanish Grand Prix controversy, George Russell has publicly accused Red Bull Racing of misleading the FIA with allegedly manipulated telemetry data used to defend Max Verstappen’s actions during their on-track clash.

Initially, Verstappen had received a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points after colliding with Russell during a chaotic Safety Car restart. The incident dropped the Red Bull driver from third to tenth place and brought him within a single penalty point of receiving an automatic one-race ban.

However, in a surprising reversal, the FIA has announced the withdrawal of the penalty, citing “new contextual evidence” following the release of detailed race telemetry.

This move came after Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko told Servus TV:

“Max has left the gas, you can see that exactly on the telemetry, and then is back on the gas. That was a misjudgment — then of course the devil was loose!”

Marko’s comments were part of Red Bull’s appeal to soften the blame placed on Verstappen, claiming the move was not malicious but simply miscalculated under pressure.

But George Russell has now fired back, stating the data Red Bull presented does not align with what Mercedes engineers observed during the incident.

“I’ve seen the raw data from our side,” Russell said. “What Red Bull showed isn’t the full picture — it’s misleading at best, and dishonest at worst. Max knew exactly what he was doing. If we start defending dangerous moves with doctored telemetry, we’re setting a terrible precedent for the sport.”

In response to the growing scrutiny, the FIA released a short statement acknowledging that Marko’s interpretation of the data played a role in their reevaluation, but also defended their integrity:

“While Mr. Marko’s remarks provided useful context, our independent review uncovered additional data from both teams that was not available during the initial stewards’ decision. Upon this basis, and in the spirit of fair competition, the penalty has been rescinded. This does not constitute an admission of fault by any party.”

The decision has sparked intense debate within the F1 paddock, with some applauding the FIA’s transparency while others warn it opens the door for teams to retroactively challenge rulings with selective data.

The controversy has also reignited concerns over Verstappen’s aggressive driving style, especially with the Canadian Grand Prix looming and Verstappen sitting on 11 penalty points.

As the season heats up, the fallout from Barcelona continues to ripple through the paddock — with Russell, Norris, and fans watching closely to see whether the FIA’s reversal becomes a dangerous precedent or a rare act of justified correction.