Max Verstappen says he "lost all respect" for George Russell after the Mercedes driver pushed for a penalty that cost Verstappen pole position at the Qatar Grand Prix.

The incident occurred during Q3 when Russell encountered Verstappen driving slowly on the racing line while both were preparing for their final qualifying laps. Russell complained about the "super dangerous" pace differential. The stewards investigated and penalized Verstappen for exceeding the maximum permitted lap time during qualifying, dropping him from pole to second position.

"I couldn't believe that I got it," Verstappen said. "But I'm not surprised anymore in the world that I live in. I just tried to be nice by not screwing anyone's preparation lap, and by doing that, being nice, I got a penalty."

Verstappen expressed frustration with the stewards' meeting, stating he provided valid reasons for his actions, including other drivers dealing with cold tires. He was particularly critical of Russell's behavior during the hearing.

"I've been in that meeting room many times with people that have raced and I've never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard," Verstappen added. "He always acts very politely in front of the camera, but when you meet him in person, he's just a different person."

Despite starting second, Verstappen overtook Russell in the first corner and went on to win the race at Lusail International Circuit.

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