Red Bull trolls Russell for ‘embarrassing’ Canadian GP moment

Red Bull have taken a pointed swipe at George Russell after the Mercedes driver's furious reaction to a Canadian Grand Prix retirement went viral, reviving the bitter feud between the Briton and Max Verstappen.

Russell was leading in Montreal on Lap 30 when his power unit suddenly failed. He pulled over, then threw his headrest onto the track and banged his car in anger before climbing out. The moment spread quickly across social media.

Why it matters:

The exchange highlights how personal rivalries in Formula 1 now spill onto social platforms, and it keeps alive the tension between Verstappen and Russell that erupted in late 2024. The FIA also stepped in, fining Russell for an unsafe act.

The details:

• Red Bull's official X account replied to a fan post showing Russell tossing the headrest with: "borderline something something."
• That was a direct nod to Russell's comment after the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP, where he accused Verstappen of reacting with "borderline violence" when things didn't go his way.
• The FIA stewards investigated Russell's headrest throw, deeming it unsafe. He received a €5,000 ($8,100 AUD) fine, suspended for 12 months.
• Russell later apologized publicly: "Apologies to the marshals & FIA for making their job harder than it needed to be. Lots of emotions in the moment."

What's next:

Russell's championship hopes took a hit. Kimi Antonelli claimed his fourth consecutive GP win, extending his lead over his Mercedes teammate to 43 points after five rounds. The incident also puts Russell under scrutiny for his on-track emotions, while the rivalry with Verstappen may reignite at the next race.