George Russell has responded forcefully to Max Verstappen’s recent criticisms, following a tense incident at the Qatar Grand Prix. Verstappen lost pole position after receiving a one-place grid penalty, which came about due to a confrontation with Russell during the final stages of qualifying. Although Verstappen had already clinched the world title in Las Vegas, his pole position lap was marred by a stewards’ investigation into his slow driving while preparing for his fast lap. Russell later accused Verstappen of engaging in “super dangerous” driving.
Verstappen then accused Russell of trying to “screw him over hard” in the stewards’ room after qualifying. But Russell, speaking ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, had little sympathy for Verstappen’s complaints. “It’s ironic,” he said, “because on Saturday night, he told me he’d purposely crash into me and ‘put me on my f***ing head in the wall’.” When asked if he planned to confront Verstappen about the comments, Russell made it clear he had no intention to do so. “I’m not interested in talking to him,” he stated. “It’s his problem, not mine. I’m not losing sleep over it.”
The conversation then shifted to why other drivers don’t stand up to Verstappen. Russell expressed his confusion, saying, “I just don’t understand why others have made it so easy and let things slide.” He also pointed to his admiration for Lewis Hamilton, explaining, “Lewis is the gold standard. He’s hard, aggressive, respectful, and always stays within the lines.” For Russell, while mistakes happen on track, Verstappen’s reported threat to crash into him crossed a line that should never be breached in the sport.
