Accusations fly as Russell and Verstappen row rocks F1

George Russell said seven times title-winning team mate Lewis Hamilton, who lost out on an eighth crown to Verstappen in Abu Dhabi in a controversial 2021 finale, was the kind of champion he aspired to be. (AP pic)

ABU DHABI: Simmering bad blood between Formula One rivals Max Verstappen and George Russell exploded into open accusations of bullying and lying at of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Thursday.

Verstappen said in Qatar last weekend that he had lost all respect for Russell after stewards stripped Red Bull’s quadruple champion of pole position and promoted his Mercedes rival to the top slot.

The Dutch driver expressed no regret for the comments in a news conference at Yas Marina on Thursday, accusing Russell of lying to secure an advantage.

Dutch reporters said Verstappen, who ultimately won Sunday’s race with Russell fourth, also referred to the Briton as a ‘loser’.

Russell responded in an extraordinary session with reporters inside the Mercedes hospitality, with team boss Toto Wolff standing at his side and throwing his own barbs at Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

The angry Mercedes driver accused Verstappen of threatening behaviour and said it was time to set the record straight.

“I’ve known Max for a long time and I know what he’s capable of,” said Russell. “He said to me he’s going to purposely go out of his way to crash into me.”

Russell said he had thought it was a heat of the moment thing but the next day felt Verstappen meant it when he saw “the fire in his eyes.

“I never had the intention of throwing Max under the bus like this until he comes out and slams me so personally,” he said.

“For a world champion to be coming out and saying he’s going to go out of his way to crash into someone and put them on their effing heads, that is not the sort of role models we should be.”

Russell said seven times title-winning team mate Lewis Hamilton, who lost out on an eighth crown to Verstappen in Abu Dhabi in a controversial 2021 finale, was the kind of champion he aspired to be.

He suggested former FIA race director Michael Masi, who lost his job after changing the safety car procedure at the 2021 race, would have feared for his life had Verstappen not won.

“I’m not questioning his driving abilities one single bit. But, the second he does not have the fastest car – let’s take Budapest as an example, he crashes into Lewis, he slams his whole team and he loses the plot.”

Verstappen said Russell’s behaviour in the stewards’ room had shocked him.

“I just never expected someone to really try and actively get someone a penalty that badly, and lying about why I was doing what I was doing,” he said.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner suggested after the race that Russell was behaving hysterically –a comment that fired up Wolff, who had earlier this season been singing Verstappen’s praises and trying to sign him.

“Why does he (Horner) feel entitled to comment about my driver?” he asked on Thursday. “I spent 90 seconds to think about it. Yapping little terrier. Always something to say.”

Russell said Verstappen was angry before he’d even spoken to the stewards.

“At the end of the day, there’s nothing to lie about. The facts were the facts. He was going too slow,” he said.

“As drivers, you fight hard on track. You fight hard in the stewards.”

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