F1 Champ Accused of Threatening Fellow Driver
Max Verstappen emerged victorious at the Qatar Grand Prix on Dec. 1, but it didn't come without some tension with others there—specifically with British driver George Russell.
It all started before the big day when Verstappen was slapped with a penalty during a qualifying race after Russell claimed he was driving too slow on the course. When speaking to reporters after the Grand Prix, Verstappen made clear that his previously cordial relationship with Russell had broken down.
"I've been in that [stewards'] meeting room many times in my life, in my career, with people that I’ve raced and I've never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard," Verstappen said, per Formula 1. "And that for me… I lost all respect."
They'll face off again on Dec. 8 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Ahead of the next race, Russell explained that his actions weren't done with malicious intent. "For me, we fight hard on the track, we fight hard in the stewards’ [room] and it’s never personal," he clarified. "And what happened at the weekend, from my side to Max, was not personal."
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Russell wasn't going to take it lying down, however.
"It’s part of racing, but the words he said [are] totally unnecessary. He’s crossed a line and I’m not going to accept it, so somebody has to stand up to someone who thinks he’s above the law," the 26-year-old said. "We went into the stewards’ [room], for the first five minutes I didn’t say a word because they were only talking to Max and he was already angry, swearing at the stewards, and then when they asked for my opinion I told them exactly the facts."
"I wasn’t trying to get Max a penalty," he said. "But Max was very angry that I didn’t support him, because he was expecting me to say, 'No problem, what Max did was OK.'"
"It wasn’t crazy dangerous, and was the penalty harsh? Maybe it was a little bit harsh, but these are the rules. We all have the rules and we all have to follow it," Russell continued. "I haven’t got him disqualified. It almost feels like he expects a double standard, and if it’s not going his way then there’s no way, and that’s not how the sport works."
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Russell concluded that he's also "lost respect" for Verstappen just as the Belgian champ said of him. "I’ve known Max for 12 years, I’ve respected him all of this time, but now I’ve lost respect for him because we’re all fighting on track and it’s never personal. Now he’s made it personal, and someone needs to stand up to a bully like this," he stated plainly. "So far, people let him get away with murder."
He also mentioned a disturbing comment Verstappen made that didn't exactly create a welcoming mood. "I find his [claims I was lying] pretty ironic when he comes out and says, 'I’m going to purposefully crash into you, I’m going to put you on your f--king head in the wall.' For me that isn’t acceptable and he’s gone beyond the line here, and I’m not going to accept it. So somebody’s got to stand up to a guy like this before it gets out of control," Russell said.
Verstappen, meanwhile, told Dutch reporters that Russell is "making things up...that aren't true."
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The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is set for Dec. 8 at 8 a.m. ET (5 a.m. PT).