Featured Image Credit: F1/FIA/Getty
Topics: George Russell, Max Verstappen, Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, Mercedes
Marcus Chan
Topics: George Russell, Max Verstappen, Formula 1, Red Bull Racing, Mercedes
George Russell has unleashed an astonishing attacking on Max Verstappen, Christian Horner and Red Bull Racing as the pair's feud escalated ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Last week, Verstappen slammed Russell for the role he played in the stewards' decision to hand the Dutchman a one-place grid penalty at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Verstappen produced a brilliant lap to seal pole position but was then summoned to the stewards for driving too slowly in preparation for his fast lap.
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At the time, Russell was right behind the Dutchman and called his driving "super dangerous" on his team radio.
Reacting to the controversial penalty, Verstappen spoke about Russell's behaviour and declared that he had 'lost all respect' for the Mercedes star.
On Thursday, during the press conference ahead of this weekend's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen doubled down, saying he did not regret his words while going on to brand Russell's behaviour as 'really unacceptable'.
Russell himself then hit back at Verstappen, labelling him as a 'bully'.
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Further expanding on the situation, Russell also mentioned Red Bull boss Horner and the team's staff, claiming some would have been looking to leave due to the way Verstappen treated them.
As reported by Racer, he said: "It can’t just keep going on like that. For me, it’s interesting, this whole regard with him and his own team.
"They’re doing their utmost to get Horner out of Red Bull, but at the very first race that he wasn’t competitive, he was absolutely slamming his team, and I know for a fact the week after, a quarter of his engineering team were sending their CVs to Mercedes, to McLaren, to Aston."
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Russell added: "So I don’t respect somebody who doesn’t appreciate those who have given him the chance to perform, because these last 12 races, he has had a car that is of normal competitiveness, and he’s been in the fight the same way as myself, Lewis (Hamilton), Charles (Leclerc), Carlos (Sainz), Lando and (Oscar) Piastri have been. And that’s how it should be.
"I feel like we all need to lead by example here. He’s the biggest, most successful guy in the sport for the last couple of years. He can do what he wants in his own business, but when he starts throwing comments around like he did on Sunday night about me, I’m not just going to sit there and accept it."
SPORTbible has contacted Red Bull Racing for comment.