Featured Image Credit: F1 / Getty
Topics: Max Verstappen, George Russell, Formula 1, Red Bull Racing
Ryan Smart
Topics: Max Verstappen, George Russell, Formula 1, Red Bull Racing
Max Verstappen has addressed the fallout from his comments on George Russell ahead of F1's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - and launched a fresh attack on his rival.
The Red Bull driver and said he had 'lost all respect' for Russell after the world champion-elect received a one-place grid penalty at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Verstappen was penalised for driving excessively slowly, dropping him behind Russell and into second place on the grid.
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The incident occurred during the closing stages of the final session, with Russell encountering a slow-moving Verstappen while both were on cooldown laps.
The incident was investigated after a radio message from Russell to his race engineer Marcus Dudley, describing his rival as 'super dangerous'. Both drivers were then summoned to the stewards, who then imposed the penalty.
He said after the race: "I thought it was ridiculous how he tried to force a penalty on me. And I was heavily p***ed at him for that.
"He always does it very nicely here in front of the camera, but then when you're inside with him in person, it's just a different person. I can't stand that and it's actually better for him to f**k off.
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"I've been in that meeting room [with the stewards] many times in my life with people I've raced, and I've never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard. I lost all respect."
I’ve been in that meeting room many times in my life with people I’ve raced – and I’ve never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard. I lost all respect.”
Unsurprisingly, Verstappen was asked about Russell in the pre-Abu Dhabi press conference - and didn't hold back with his response.
He said: "No [I have no regrets]. I meant every word. I've never experienced anything like that from the stewards.
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"I found his behaviour really unacceptable.
"It has nothing to do with him being head of the drivers' association [Grand Prix Drivers' Association, of which Russell is a director]. He simply lied about what he was or wasn't doing, and certainly influenced the stewards.
"I see someone flying when I look in my rearview mirror, acting like it's most dangerous situation in the world or like I almost killed him. I don't know how they [the stewards] came to that conclusion. It was very disappointing to me."
He joked to Sky Sports' David Croft: "I'm going to go flat out on my cooldown lap and act like I'm going to crash into everyone!
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"When I was in there, I was trying to explain the story behind it ... I was just trying to be nice. Lando passed me so I backed out, I didn't want to be in anyone's way.
"Fernando came out of the pits on new tyres and it was clear that we had to push hard on the outlap. I saw him [Russell] flying and I thought I'd let him by.
"When I got called to the stewards, it was a big surprise to me because I didn't really impede anyone."
Russell, who finished in fourth place behind Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri in Qatar, is yet to comment on the world champion's claims.
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Speaking after qualifying in Qatar, however, he did admit: "No, there's no concerns. We know Max is a fighter and is aggressive. I expect no difference. I really wanted to go out there and fight with him today like we could have done in the sprint."
More to follow...