Topics: Max Verstappen, Formula 1, George Russell, Red Bull Racing, Mercedes
Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz has provided an insight into a heated 'confrontation' between Max Verstappen and George Russell at the Qatar Grand Prix.
It has become the biggest talking point from this weekend's F1 action.
Ahead of Sunday's race, a furious Verstappen lost pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix after he was hit with a one-place grid penalty following an incident with Russell during the final part of qualifying.
Having secured the world title in Las Vegas last week, Verstappen produced a superb lap to seal pole but in a controversial twist, he was summoned to the stewards for driving too slowly in preparation for his fast lap.
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Russell, meanwhile, accused him of "super dangerous" driving.
Verstappen ended up winning Sunday's race ahead of Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri but the incident in qualifying has left a bitter taste. In fact, he accused Russell of trying to “screw him over hard” in the stewards room after qualifying.
After the race on Sunday, Sky Sports reporter Ted Kravitz made some further claims about the ongoing situation, revealing that Verstappen confronted Russell in the drivers' parade holding room.
Kravitz even went as far as sharing what Verstappen said to the Mercedes driver.
He began: "The rumour is, and I'll think you'll find this when Drive to Survive airs in February because they certainly won't leave this little snippet on the editing room floor, that in the drivers' parade holding room, Max then confronted George, still seething, and said something along the lines of: 'You and your FIA mates, I hope you're happy with what you've done.'"
Kravitz added: "I think the actual quote was rather ruder than that but I'm not going to say what it was. But that seems to be the confrontation that Christian Horner was referring to. It all got a bit tasty between them."
As mentioned above, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner confirmed that Verstappen and Russell had "a moment" during the pre-race drivers’ parade.
"He was annoyed with George, and the way things played out in front of the stewards yesterday. And he carried that motivation into the race," said Horner.
"It was clearly evident that he was super motivated going into this race. He got an amazing start and that whole first, second, third gear phase of the start, he was going to be the only car that was going to come out of Turn 1 in the lead.
"I think you could sense that George kind of sensed that as well. I think there was a little bit of a moment between the two of them on the trailer as they go around the circuit, that Max felt that things just went a bit too far yesterday."
It has also been suggested that Verstappen had told Russell pre-race that he was going to pass him into the first corner.
