Max Max Verstappen Slams George Russell After Grid Penalty

Max Verstappen voiced his frustration with George Russell after receiving a one-place grid penalty at the Qatar Grand Prix, stating he had “lost all respect” for the Mercedes driver. The penalty came after Verstappen impeded Russell during qualifying by driving too slowly which caused Verstappen’s Red Bull to drop from pole position to second behind Russell.

Verstappen grew particularly upset with Russell’s behavior during their meeting with the stewards. He described the encounter as “very disappointing” and pointed out that, despite attending many similar meetings throughout his career, he had never witnessed anyone try to “screw someone over” as aggressively as Russell did. Verstappen stressed that this experience led him to lose all respect for Russell.

In an interview with Dutch TV station Viaplay, Verstappen criticized Russell for his dual nature, saying that while Russell acts polite in front of the cameras, he behaves completely differently in private. Verstappen expressed his dislike for this and declared he would rather distance himself from Russell altogether.

Despite the tension, Max Verstappen won the race while Russell finished in fourth place. Verstappen reportedly addressed his concerns directly with Russell before the race. However, due to the timing of post-race interviews, Russell did not comment on the incident immediately.

Sources close to Russell suggested that there is more to the story and they expect him to address the situation during the media day before the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.