Featured Image Credit: F1TV / Sky Sports
Topics: Max Verstappen, George Russell, Formula 1
Ryan Smart
Max Verstappen has broken his silence after George Russell made several explosive claims about his behaviour and that of his Red Bull team before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Their 'feud' began at the Qatar Grand Prix, when Verstappen claimed he had 'lost all respect' for Russell after an incident during qualifying led to the world champion receiving a one-place grid penalty.
The stewards deemed that Verstappen had driven excessively slowly on an outlap, with Russell, who called his move 'super dangerous' as he went past him at speed, joining him in the stewards' room after the session.
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Verstappen claims that the Brit 'lied' to the stewards and 'tried to force a penalty on me', telling media in Abu Dhabi: "I found his behaviour really unacceptable."
He also called the Mercedes driver a 'loser'.
In response, Russell told written media that he believed Verstappen was a 'bully', and claimed that the Dutchman said he would 'purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and, quote, put me on my f***ing head'.
He also said: "He cannot deal with adversity, whenever anything has gone against him ... for me, those comments on Saturday night and Sunday were totally disrespectful and unnecessary."
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At the annual F1 drivers' end of season dinner on Thursday night, Russell and Verstappen were noticeably sat on different sides of the table - and Lando Norris jokingly confirmed on Instagram that 'the two you're thinking about were sat as far away from each other as possible'.
In the meantime, Verstappen was directly asked about Russell's 'crash' claim, to which he flat out denied making such a statement in the stewards' room.
He told media (via Planet F1): "That's already wrong. I didn't say that. He's trying to flesh it out again.
"You know what I can stand either? That he accepts me in an unacceptable way at the stewards and then comes running back a day later as if nothing is wrong and slaps me on the shoulders.
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"We have the last laugh because we won the race last week [in Qatar]. They start on pole position because of that nitpicking at the stewards, but 300 metres down the track, they were already behind.
"Everything he brings in has nothing to do with it. I was very relaxed at the stewards, already had the championship. But he had to be so dramatic to start first."
Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix after overtaking Russell at the first corner, having avoided any contact.
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He controlled the rest of the race despite heavy pressure from Norris, until the McLaren driver himself received a penalty for failing to slow under double waved yellow flags. He finished 10th.