Accusations continue to fly between Max Verstappen and George Russell with the Formula 1 World Champion calling his Mercedes counterpart a “backstabber” over their Qatar Grand Prix penalty row.
This story began with Verstappen seemingly impeding Russell during the latter’s out-lap in the Q3 top-10 shootout at the Lusail International Circuit.
Russell successfully campaigned to get Verstappen demoted one spot on the grid in Qatar through a stewards hearing in a manner which caused Verstappen to lose all respect for him.
Verstappen has remained firm on his stance, Christian Horner called Russell “hysterical” and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff responded by calling Red Bull’s Team Principal a “yapping little terrier.”
A thoroughly dramatic media day ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix saw Russell claim Verstappen threatened to crash into him in Qatar, saying “To question somebody’s integrity as a person, while saying comments like that the day before, I find it very ironic, and I’m not going to sit here and accept it.”
Speaking to the Dutch publication De Telegraaf, Verstappen responded to Russell’s claims, saying “That’s already not true, I didn’t say that. He’s trying to thicken it up again.
“You know what I also can’t stand? That he attacks 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.
“Then I think: ‘stay away for a while.’ He makes up all kinds of things that aren’t true.
“With me you always get the same thing: here, at home, with the stewards; I don’t change. You can’t say that about everyone. But I’m not amazed by that with him.”
Verstappen rebukes Russell’s 2021 Abu Dhabi jibe
Russell’s scathing criticism of Verstappen saw him reference past F1 controversies at Abu Dhabi.
The Mercedes driver claimed had Verstappen been in Lewis Hamilton’s position in the 2021 season finale, then Race Director Michael Masi “would be fearing for his life.”
In addition, Russell said “people have been bullied by Max for years now.”
In response, Verstappen said Russell is “just a loser. He lies and pastes all kinds of things together that aren’t true.
“I only gave my opinion about his behavior with the stewards. He’s clearly not into that.
“What he said about 2021, that’s how it went down with the stewards. He insinuates a lot of things that don’t make sense.”
When told Russell was emotional during his media exchange on Thursday Verstappen said “It wasn’t that dramatic at the stewards last week.
“Maybe next time it will be, then I’ll bring tissues.”
