George Russell says Max Verstappen “can’t cope with adversity” because the Mercedes driver responded to the world champion’s feedback that he had “misplaced all respect” for him.
Verstappen was sad concerning the position Russell performed in which demoted him from pole place on the Qatar Grand Prix final weekend.
Briton Russell stated on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Thursday: “I do not know why he felt the necessity for this private assault and I am not going to take it.
“That is me simply setting the file straight, I’m not going to face right here and let somebody slam me personally.”
Russell stated that after they left the stewards’ room in Qatar after qualifying, Verstappen swore whereas saying he would “purposefully exit of his option to crash into me and put me on my head within the wall”.
‘Folks have been bullied by Max for years’
Russell added: “I knew that was a spur of the second factor, however the subsequent day, we had been joking round a bit with (Sergio) Perez and Carlos (Sainz), I noticed it in his eyes that he meant it.
“He is a four-time champion. Lewis (Hamilton) is the champion I aspire to be – laborious however truthful; by no means past the road. Now we have an obligation as drivers.
“For a world champion to return out and say he’s going to exit of his option to crash into somebody and put him on his head, that isn’t the instance we ought to be setting.”
In Qatar qualifying, the 2 drivers tangled at Flip 12, forcing Russell on to the gravel.
Verstappen was penalised for driving unnecessarily slowly and located to have been “properly outdoors” the goal time required of drivers when not on a flying lap.
The stewards sided with Russell’s argument that Verstappen mustn’t have been on the racing line if he was going slowly.
Afterwards, Verstappen stated he “by no means anticipated somebody to actually attempt to actively get somebody a penalty that badly and mendacity about why I used to be doing what I used to be doing”.
On Thursday, Russell stated he had not got down to get Verstappen a penalty.
“There’s nothing to lie about,” Russell added. “He was going too gradual, he was on the racing line and within the high-speed nook. I wasn’t attempting to get him a penalty. I used to be simply attempting to arrange my lap and also you combat laborious on observe and within the stewards.
“The identical manner as Max the very subsequent day requested his crew That is not private. That is racing.”
Russell added: “I do not know why this matter has acquired him so offended. He can’t cope with adversity. I’m not questioning his capability one bit. However the second he doesn’t have the quickest automobile, slams his complete crew and loses the plot.”
Russell stated “individuals have been bullied by Max for years now”, and added: “He is been enabled as a result of no one’s stood as much as him.
“Lewis stood as much as him in ’21 and Are you able to think about the roles being reversed and Max shedding that championship in the best way Lewis misplaced it? (Then race director Michael) Masi could be fearing for his life.”
He added: “I am not on the lookout for any repercussion from this, I’m standing up for myself to a man who’s questioning my status and
In an uncommon step, Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff attended Russell’s information convention and criticised Pink Bull crew principal Christian Horner for calling Russell “hysterical”, saying this “crossed a line”.
Wolff stated: “Why does he really feel entitled to remark about my driver? In the event you’re excited about it, yapping little terrier, all the time one thing to say.
“His forte isn’t mental psychoanalysis, however that is fairly a phrase. How dare you touch upon the frame of mind of my driver.”
Verstappen stated on Thursday that he had “no regrets” about his feedback in Qatar.
“I meant the whole lot I stated,” Verstappen stated. “And it is nonetheless the identical. If I needed to do it once more, perhaps I might’ve stated much more, figuring out the result of the race outcomes. I nonetheless cannot 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 lots of respect for one another, we even play sports activities collectively, you understand, you journey collectively, and naturally, you will have moments the place you get collectively, you crash, you are not completely happy.
“In my complete profession, I’ve by no means skilled what I’ve skilled within the stewards’ room in Qatar. And for me, that was actually unacceptable.”
