Max Verstappen narrowly avoided an awkward moment involving George Russell as a hidden agreement relating to the Formula 1 drivers' dinner was revealed.
On Thursday, the world of F1 was shaken to its core after Verstappen doubled down on his assessment of Russell.
The pair were already not the best of friends after their clash at the Qatar Grand Prix, with Verstappen stating he had 'lost all respect' for Russell after the role the Brit played in a penalty handed to the Dutchman.
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Verstappen was given a one-place grid penalty after being penalised for driving too slowly, with the Mercedes star labelling the incident as "super dangerous".
Ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen slammed Russell again, calling him a 'loser' in yet another explosive interview.
Russell himself has also had his own say, with the 26-year-old branding Verstappen as a 'bully'.
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Despite their differences, the pair were present in the same room as 17 of the 20 drivers gathered for the 2024 end-of-season dinner.
Thanks to a generous offer from Stake F1 Team driver Valtteri Bottas, Verstappen avoided the awkward act of having to pay for Russell's dinner.
As reported by The Mirror, the tradition is that the reigning champion would pick up the bill, which would've been Verstappen's job as he won the 2023 world title.
However, Bottas, who could potentially take part in his last-ever F1 race this weekend, decided to treat everyone.
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Posting a picture from the gathering, Alpine driver Pierre Gasly thanked Bottas.
He wrote: "2024 crew, et voilaaa!! Rivals on track, but good mates off track, been another fun one this year!! Thanks VB for sorting us, it was deliciousss."
Under pressure Red Bull star Sergio Perez also expressed his gratitude to the former Mercedes driver, he said: "Class of 2024! Thanks to all. Kiitos @valtteribottas."
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Although the driver's title has been wrapped up by Verstappen, the constructor's championship is still up for grabs.
McLaren currently hold a 21-point lead over Ferrari, with the Italian team facing an uphill battle after Charles Leclerc was handed a 10-place grid penalty for exceeding his allocation of energy store components.
Topics: Max Verstappen, George Russell, Formula 1
Marcus Chan