Max Verstappen has refuted George Russell’s version of the arguments between the two following qualifying in Qatar, describing him as a “backstabber” after further exchanges ahead of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Russell hit out at Verstappen on Thursday after the world champion had said he had lost all respect for the Mercedes driver for lobbying the stewards over a potential penalty last weekend. In his response, Russell claimed Verstappen said “I will purposely go out of my way to put you on your f****** head in the wall” ahead of the race, something the Dutchman denied.
“That’s not true; I didn’t say it like that,” Verstappen was quoted as saying by De Telegraaf. “He’s exaggerating again. Do you know what I can’t stand? The way he attacks me unacceptably with the stewards and then acts like nothing happened the next day, patting me on the shoulder. I think, ‘Stay away from me.’
“He invents all sorts of nonsense. With me, you always get the same: here, at home, with the stewards — I don’t change. You can’t say the same about everyone. But I’m not surprised by him.”
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Doubling down on his comments about Verstappen, Russell said later on Thursday that his rival has been enabled because nobody has stood up to him, citing his beliefs that Lewis Hamilton was the last driver to do so in 2021.
“Could you imagine the roles being reversed?” Russell said. “Max losing that championship in the manner that Lewis lost that championship. I mean, [Michael] Masi would be fearing for his life.”
Those remarks brought another firm response from Verstappen, who said: “George is a backstabber. The way he brings up all this nonsense — he’s just a loser. He lies and cobbles things together that don’t add up.
“I only voiced my opinion about his behavior with the stewards. Clearly, he couldn’t handle that. And his comments about 2021? That’s how he acted with the stewards, insinuating nonsense.”
With Russell also claiming Verstappen’s conduct in Hungary this year had led to 25% of his engineering team sounding out work elsewhere, the four-time world champion suggested there’s been a bigger movement of personnel in the opposite direction.
“It’s tough for them, especially since we’ve poached many people from Mercedes for our engine program,” Verstappen said. “That causes frustration. But we’re having the last laugh because we won the race last week.
“They started on pole because of their nitpicking with the stewards, but 300 meters later, they were already behind. Everything Russell adds is irrelevant. I was very relaxed with the stewards, having already secured the championship. But he had to be dramatic to start first.”