Max Verstappen stands by his criticism of George Russell following last Sunday’s Qatar Grand Prix. He accused the British driver of falsely attributing a penalty to him, stating, “He simply lied.”
It was a peculiar penalty, a one-place grid penalty, that Max Verstappen was handed a few hours after the qualifying session by the race stewards. According to the governing body, the world champion had hindered Russell in the final stages by driving ‘unnecessarily slowly’. The Brit finished the qualifying session in second place, narrowly behind Verstappen.
“I’ve been in front of the stewards many times, but I’ve never been screwed over so badly,” Verstappen ranted after the race, which he won from the second starting position. As far as he was concerned, the Brit could ‘get lost’ for his uncollegial behavior. “I felt like I was talking to a wall at the stewards.”
No Regrets About Remarks
At the press conference in Abu Dhabi, where the final race of 2024 is being held this weekend, Verstappen did not retract a single word. “I have no regrets about those statements. Perhaps I should have been even more forceful. I find what happened there so unacceptable. We play together (padel in Monaco), travel together… And then this: I’ve never experienced anything like it. I never expected someone to actively try to pin a penalty on you and lie about it. I didn’t like it and found it simply shocking.”
