Max Verstappen says George Russell has lost his respect following Qatar GP confrontation

Max Verstappen says he has “lost all respect” for George Russell following the Mercedes driver’s role in him being demoted from pole position for the Qatar Grand Prix.

Verstappen, who last weekend in Las Vegas was crowned world champion for a fourth successive season, topped Saturday’s qualifying in Qatar but was investigated after the session for “driving unnecessarily slowly” as the drivers prepared for the final flying laps.

The stewards, following a hearing on Saturday night attended by both drivers, decided that Verstappen had impeded Russell and implemented a rarely seen one-place grid penalty that switched their positions on the front row.

Red Bull’s Verstappen passed Russell at the first corner before going on to win Sunday’s race, with the Brit having to settle for fourth after a botched pit stop ruined his hopes of a podium.

“I couldn’t believe that I got it. But in a way I was also not surprised anymore in the world that I live in,” Verstappen said following his victory.

“I’m not happy with it, but at one point or another you have to just turn the page.

“It wasn’t very enjoyable to see that happen because I think that’s the first time that in a slow lap someone has been penalised.

“Actually, I just tried to be nice, so maybe I shouldn’t be nice. I didn’t want to screw anyone over to prepare their lap. And by doing that, being nice, basically you get a penalty.

“And that’s what I tried to explain as well, but I just felt like I was talking to a brick wall, so there’s not much that was possible for whatever reason.

“It was clear-cut that around me there were different scenarios going on as well, with people having colder tyres and stuff, so they have to push anyway. I didn’t want to then cause a scene into the last corner and for nobody to have a lap.”

Russell confirmed to Sky Sports F1 in a pre-race interview that Verstappen had made it clear he was unhappy with him, while Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said on the grid that the Dutchman was “wound up”.

Verstappen continued: “I was quite surprised, when sitting there in the stewards’ room, what was all going on.

“It was honestly very disappointing, because I think all of us here, we respect each other a lot.

“I’ve been in that meeting room many times in my life and my career with people that I’ve raced. And I’ve never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard. For me, I lost all respect.”

Horner: Russell sensed Verstappen anger

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after the race, Horner suggested that Russell approached the start with trepidation after Verstappen had aired his grievances during the drivers’ parade.

Despite starting from the dirtier side of the grid, Verstappen surged up the inside of Russell, who also lost out to Lando Norris to fall to third.

“He was annoyed with George, and the way things played out in front of the stewards yesterday. And he carried that motivation into the race,” Horner said.

“It was clearly evident that he was super-motivated going into this race. He got an amazing start and that whole first, second, third-gear phase of the start, he was going to be the only car that was going to come out of Turn 1 in the lead.

“I think you could sense that George kind of sensed that as well. I think there was a little bit of a moment between the two of them on the trailer as they go around the circuit, that Max felt that things just went a bit too far yesterday.”

Watch the final race of the 2024 Formula 1 season – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – live this coming week on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s race at 1pm. Get Sky Sports F1 or stream with NOW

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