George Russell has launched a scathing assault on Max Verstappen following the world champion’s criticism of his conduct within the stewards’ room in Qatar.
Verstappen stated he misplaced all respect for Russell as a result of, “I’ve by no means seen somebody attempting to screw somebody over that arduous,” after the Dutchman obtained a one-place grid penalty for driving too slowly in qualifying. Verstappen made even stronger feedback to Dutch tv post-race, however Russell claims the four-time world champion then threatened to deliberately take him out of the race.
“I discover all of it fairly ironic seeing as Saturday night time he stated he was going to purposefully exit of his solution to crash into me and ‘put me on my f****** head within the wall,’” Russell advised choose media together with RACER. “So, to query any person’s integrity as an individual, whereas saying feedback like that the day earlier than, I discover may be very ironic, and I’m not going to sit down right here and settle for it.
“Folks have been bullied by Max for years now, and you’ll’t query his driving talents. However he can not cope with adversity. Each time something has gone towards him — Jeddah ’21, Brazil ’21 — he lashes out. Budapest this 12 months, the very first race the automotive wasn’t dominant, crashing into Lewis [Hamilton], slamming his group…
“For me, these feedback on Saturday night time and Sunday had been completely disrespectful and pointless. As a result of what occurs on monitor, we battle onerous, that’s a part of racing. What occurs within the stewards’ room, you battle onerous, but it surely’s by no means private. However he’s taken it too far now.”
Absolutely recounting the interplay between the 2, Russell added: “[He said it] to me privately, straight out of the stewards. He stated, ‘I don’t know why you’ll wish to screw me like this. I’m so disenchanted in you. I used to be going to not even race you tomorrow, I used to be going to allow you to by, however now if I’ve to, I’ll purposely exit of my solution to put you in your f****** head within the wall.’ So I don’t perceive why he was so unnecessarily aggressive and violent in that regard.”
Whereas unaware of Russell’s newest response, Verstappen doubled down on his feedback from Qatar throughout an Abu Dhabi Grand Prix press convention. However past the verbal exchanges, the Mercedes driver says he additionally takes exception to the best way Verstappen races.
“[I’m speaking out] as a result of he’s come out within the media, and I really feel has disrespected me as a driver,” stated Russell. “I’ve identified him for 12 years, we’ve had respect with each other beforehand. We’ve by no means had any collisions. Within the junior classes, he was at all times one [year ahead] — Max is a 12 months older than me, so we solely crossed paths as soon as, in 2011, however we by no means actually had any kind of comings-together. However we’ve bought a man who’s on the highest of this sport who feels he’s above the regulation, and I don’t suppose that’s proper.
“I love his on-track battles, and when he’s onerous and aggressive. However what we noticed in the long run of the season in ’21 or what we noticed in Mexico with Lando [Norris], they weren’t onerous, aggressive maneuvers. They had been, ‘Do or die –I’m prepared to take this man out.’ Which I don’t suppose is the best way we must always go racing.
“I truthfully simply wish to set the document straight. As a result of it’s only a whole double customary that he has for the rules, and simply pondering that he’s above all people else.
“So it’s not me attempting to say my management model or something. It’s simply any person has come out and stated that I’m a two-faced motherf****r, and he’s entitled to his personal opinions however popping out and saying that publicly, and slamming me publicly, I’m simply not going to just accept it, and I’m going to inform folks what the fact was.
“He pushes himself to absolutely the restrict week in, week out, and in 95 p.c of the eventualities, that’s unbelievable to see, and I respect him for that 95 p.c. However there have been incidents which have gone unpunished. Perhaps that’s the reason he thinks he can get away with homicide. However that’s not the world we stay in, and actions have penalties.”
Russell additionally says he misplaced respect for the best way Verstappen has dealt with adversity at instances this season, once more citing the Hungarian Grand Prix the place the Purple Bull driver was extraordinarily vocal on group radio.
“It may well’t simply preserve happening like that. For me, it’s attention-grabbing, this entire regard with him and his personal group,” he stated. “They’re doing their utmost to get [Christian] Horner out of Purple Bull, however on the very first race that he wasn’t aggressive, he was completely slamming his group, and I do know for a reality the week after, 1 / 4 of his engineering group had been sending their CVs to Mercedes, to McLaren, to Aston.
“So I don’t respect any person who doesn’t admire those that have given him the possibility to carry out, as a result of these final 12 races, he has had a automotive that’s of regular competitiveness, and he’s been within the battle the identical approach as myself, Lewis, Charles [Leclerc], Carlos [Sainz], Lando and [Oscar] Piastri have been. And that’s the way it must be.
“I really feel like all of us want to steer by instance right here. He’s the most important, most profitable man within the sport for the final couple of years. He can do what he needs in his personal enterprise, however when he begins throwing feedback round like he did on Sunday night time about me, I’m not simply going to sit down there and settle for it.”
