After a sensational Formula 1 season, it seemed that calm had returned when Max Verstappen secured his fourth world title in Las Vegas. However, he and colleague George Russell added a touch of extra drama at the last minute. After the Qatar Grand Prix, a verbal war broke out between the two. Among other things, Russell claimed that Verstappen had misbehaved during a meeting with the stewards. But is that really true?
After the qualification in Qatar, George Russell and Max Verstappen were called to account. In a conversation with the stewards, the Dutchman is said to have lost his temper. “We went to the stewards,” Russell told Viaplay this week. “In the first five minutes, I didn’t say a word – they were only talking to Max, who was already very angry and started swearing.” The Red Bull driver later received an unusual grid penalty of one place, which meant Russell inherited the pole position.”During the first free practice in Abu Dhabi, the alleged dispute was discussed at length. Even at Sky Sports – which has been accused of biased British reporting in the past – they scrutinized the incident. “It’s a good thing that Max Verstappen is skipping this first training session; it creates some space between him and George Russell,” joked commentator David Croft during the broadcast.
‘Our sources claim otherwise’
The British commentator then questioned the statements of the Mercedes driver. “Russell claimed that Verstappen was cursing in the meeting with the stewards,” he told co-commentator Craig Slater. “However, our sources claim that there was no swearing at all. Verstappen should be given the opportunity to respond to this, as Russell’s comments are quite serious.”
“It’s interesting to see how this will develop further,” Slater responded. “According to my contacts at the FIA, this incident is not being further investigated. The FIA chairman has caught wind of it, so he might get involved. It could be that there will be no formal investigation, but the FIA mediates to deescalate the situation. Nobody would be surprised if Mohammed Ben Sulayem plays a role in this.”
