A livid George Russell has hit again , describing Purple Bull’s quadruple world champion as a “bully” who thinks he’s “above the regulation” and alleging that Verstappen threatened to place his “f—— head within the wall” in Qatar.
Russell’s explosive allegation got here after Verstappen doubled down on his criticism of the Mercedes driver following , saying if something he had not been strident sufficient final weekend and calling the Englishman a “liar” and a “loser”.
“I discover all of it fairly ironic, contemplating Saturday evening he stated he’s going to purposely exit of his technique to crash into me and, quote, ‘put me on my f—— head within the wall’,” Russell stated when requested about Verstappen’s feedback. The English driver added he may “see in [Verstappen’s] eyes” throughout a heated change within the drivers’ parade the subsequent day that he “meant it”.
“To query anyone’s integrity as an individual, whereas saying feedback like that the day earlier than, I discover it very ironic, and I’m not going to take a seat right here and settle for it.”
Russell later expanded on his ideas in a giant media huddle within the Mercedes motorhome.
Flanked by his group principal Toto Wolff, the 26 year-old stated individuals had been “bullied by Max for years now” and he was not going to face for it any longer.
“He can not take care of adversity,” Russell stated. “He’s had probably the most dominant automotive in current historical past for 2 and a half years. However the second he doesn’t have the quickest automotive, he slams his entire group and he loses the plot. Right away after that race, 25 per cent of his engineering group have been sending their CVs to Mercedes, to McLaren, to Aston Martin, as a result of they stated they will’t take care of a man like that.”
Requested later about that declare, Verstappen instructed Dutch journalists that it was false and described Russell as a “loser”.
Russell, although, had loads of different claims. He stated Verstappen had been “enabled” as a result of individuals weren’t ready to face as much as him.
“Lewis stood as much as him in 2021. And Lewis misplaced that championship unfairly. Are you able to think about if the roles have been reversed? Max shedding that championship within the method that Lewis [Hamilton] misplaced that championship? I imply, [former race director Michael] Masi could be fearing for his life.”
Russell’s verbal assault additionally coated Verstappen’s status for deploying controversial techniques when battling different drivers, highlighting notorious clashes with Hamilton three years in the past and Lando Norris earlier this season.
“I really feel he has disrespected me as a driver,” added Russell. “I’ve identified him for 12 years. We’ve had respect with each other beforehand. We’ve by no means had any collisions… however we’ve received a man who’s on the highest of this sport and who feels he’s above the regulation. I don’t suppose that’s proper.
“I love his on-track battles, and when he’s onerous and aggressive. However what we noticed on the finish of the season in ’21, or what we noticed in Mexico with Lando [Norris], they weren’t onerous, aggressive manoeuvres. They have been do or die: ‘I’m prepared to take this man out.’ Which I don’t suppose is the way in which we should always go racing.”
Verstappen: ‘No regrets’
The more and more ugly row stems from an incident which befell in qualifying for final weekend’s race in Doha.
Verstappen was stripped of pole place after being accused of driving “unnecessarily slowly” on the racing line in entrance of Russell whereas each have been on gradual laps, a sanction which lifted the Mercedes driver into pole.
After victory on Sunday, the Purple Bull driver accused Russell of “attempting onerous to screw him over” within the stewards’ room with a purpose to earn him a penalty and stated he had “misplaced all respect” for the Englishman.
Any suggestion the 2 may need smoothed issues over within the intervening interval have been swiftly put to mattress when Verstappen confronted the media on Thursday an hour earlier than Russell spoke forward of the 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi.
Requested within the official press convention whether or not he had any regrets about his Qatar outburst, the newly topped four-time world champion replied: “No, no regrets in any respect as a result of I meant every thing I stated, and it’s nonetheless the identical.
“If I needed to do it once more, perhaps I’d have stated much more. I nonetheless can’t consider that somebody will be like that within the stewards’ room. For me, that was so unacceptable as a result of, I imply, we’re all racing drivers. All of us have numerous respect for one another, we even play sports activities collectively, you journey collectively.
“And naturally, you have got moments the place you crash or no matter and also you’re not completely happy. However in my entire profession I’ve by no means skilled what I’ve skilled within the stewards’ room in Qatar, and for me that was actually unacceptable. Mendacity about why I used to be doing what I used to be doing.”
Verstappen has incessantly been touted as a doable companion for Russell at Mercedes. On the peak of the Christian Horner allegations earlier this 12 months into controlling and coercive behaviour with a feminine worker, of which he has now been cleared, Wolff overtly courted the Dutch driver. It’s understood he stays an choice for 2026.
Requested whether or not they may ever work collectively, Russell stated: “Issues occur and other people transfer on. We’re adults. Proper now it’s not even one thing I’m fascinated with. I by no means had the intention of throwing Max underneath the bus like this till he comes out and slams me so personally. So this isn’t like I’m indignant with Max. That is me simply setting the report straight.”
Russell added: “I imply, I’m an grownup. As I stated, I’m not shedding any sleep over it in any way. I do know what Max is like. This isn’t the primary time I’ve seen him like this. I’ve seen him like this as a 14-year-old within the go-kart paddock. So that is simply me sharing what actually occurred on Saturday evening.”
Horner is ‘yappy little terrier’
Wolff was additionally indignant, though he saved his ire for Horner, and particularly some feedback the Purple Bull group principal made in Qatar to the impact that Russell had been “hysterical” within the stewards’ room.
“Why does he really feel entitled to remark about my driver?” Wolff demanded. “Yapping little terrier. All the time one thing to say.”
Russell, who additionally had a run-in with Verstappen in Baku final season when the Dutch driver had known as him a “d—head” and a “princess”, stated he had no need to “clear the air” with Verstappen, including drivers have been too simply bullied.
“I simply don’t know why different drivers, once they’ve been on this battle with him, simply kind of made it really easy and simply let or not it’s,” Russell stated. “Lewis is a world champion who I aspire to be like, and I feel he’s a gold commonplace of a task mannequin that youthful youngsters needs to be wanting as much as.
“And the way in which Lewis handled that championship combat, he was onerous, he was aggressive, he was at all times respectful, and he by no means went past the road.
“You may transcend the road in making a slight misjudgment, however going out of your technique to say you’ll purposefully crash into anyone and put them on their head is past the road.”
