Max Verstappen and George Russell's relationship has deteriorated following a heated exchange over a qualifying incident in Qatar. Russell has now responded to the world champion's criticism with serious allegations about Verstappen's conduct.

Russell claims Verstappen threatened him after the stewards' meeting, allegedly saying he would "purposefully go out of his way to put you on your f****** head in the wall." This came after Verstappen received a one-place grid penalty for driving too slowly in qualifying.

Key points from Russell's response:

• He criticizes Verstappen's inability to handle adversity, citing incidents in Jeddah '21, Brazil '21, and Budapest this year
• Claims Verstappen has bullied other drivers for years
• Questions Verstappen's approach to racing, particularly citing incidents with Lando Norris in Mexico
• Expresses concern about Verstappen's relationship with his team, claiming that after Budapest, many Red Bull engineers sent CVs to rival teams
• States that Verstappen's recent car performance has been "of normal competitiveness," putting him in the same fight as other drivers

Russell emphasizes that while he respects Verstappen's driving abilities 95% of the time, he takes issue with incidents that have "gone unpunished" and the world champion's behavior when facing challenges. He concludes by stating that as the sport's most successful current driver, Verstappen needs to lead by example rather than making inflammatory comments.

The Mercedes driver maintains that while on-track battles and stewards' room discussions can be intense, Verstappen's personal attacks crossed a line, making their conflict unnecessarily personal and aggressive.

Related Articles

Previous Articles