Max Verstappen has given his true feelings on Lewis Hamilton after being embroiled in a bitter spat with his Mercedes teammate George Russell.
Verstappen said he had 'lost all respect' for Russell after receiving a one-place grid penalty at the Qatar Grand Prix, claiming his rival "tried to force a penalty on me" in the stewards' room and branding him a "loser".
Russell fired back by calling Verstappen a "bully" and the two traded jabs as things looked to get very heated and personal between the pair.
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Much to the surprise of many, Verstappen and Russell were seen next to each other in the traditional GPDA End of Season assembly photo and the Dutchman appeared happy to patch things up when he said he was "sure we’ll fix it again" after speaking about their relationship on stage ahead of Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Verstappen has also had his fair share of disputes with Russell's Mercedes colleague Hamilton, who has won six drivers' championship titles with the Silver Arrows.
It was Verstappen and Red Bull who ended Hamilton's dominance on the track after the 39-year-old won four titles in a row. Verstappen has since won the same tally consecutively in a stunning run which began with a controversial last-gasp victory over Hamilton in 2021.
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Hamilton has struggled to find consistency on the grid in recent times and will race for Mercedes for the final time on Sunday. He has penned a multi-year deal with Ferrari, where he is expected to earn £40 million per year as the replacement for Carlos Sainz.
And despite their differences, Verstappen believes Hamilton will remain a major contender as he looks to claim a record-breaking eighth world title.
Speaking to The Mirror, Verstappen said: "It's difficult to say. It all depends on how competitive Ferrari are as well. I do feel that when Lewis has a good car he gets more motivated naturally. That's how it is.
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"Maybe it's good for him to have a little switch of scenery and new motivation because I don't think he will ever lose it. It's just how you use it.
"I think it's still going to be a very competitive season. A lot can happen. For us as well, it's very unknown how competitive we are going to be against each other right now but that makes it also very exciting once you know the cars are ready."
Topics: Max Verstappen, Formula 1, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell
Josh Lawless