George Russell has claimed his System One rival Max Verstappen threatened him with violence in the course of the escalating tensions between the drivers on the Qatar Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver mentioned the newly topped world champion instructed him “he was going to purposefully exit of his method to crash into me and ‘put me on my fucking head within the wall’”.
The accusations come after the Briton and Verstappen had been embroiled in a dispute in qualifying for the race final weekend. The Dutchman misplaced pole place for blocking Russell throughout qualifying, with each drivers in search of out the stewards to debate the incident. Verstappen – who vented his ire on Dutch tv, stating he had “misplaced all respect” for the Mercedes driver – went on to win the race however solely after a one-place grid penalty noticed him begin behind Russell.
Now Russell instructed ESPN that his Crimson Bull rival mentioned after leaving the stewards’ room that he would damage him in the course of the race. “I discover all of it fairly ironic seeing as Saturday evening he mentioned he was going to purposefully exit of his method to crash into me and ‘put me on my fucking head within the wall’,” Russell mentioned.
“So to query any person’s integrity as an individual, whereas saying feedback like that the day earlier than, I discover could be very ironic, and I’m not going to sit down right here and settle for it. Individuals have been bullied by Max for years now, and you’ll’t query his driving skills. However he can’t take care of adversity.
“At any time when something has gone in opposition to him, he lashes out. Budapest this yr, the very first race the automotive wasn’t dominant, crashing into Lewis [Hamilton], slamming his staff … As I mentioned, these feedback on Saturday evening and Sunday had been completely disrespectful and pointless. As a result of what occurs on monitor, we combat onerous, that’s a part of racing. What occurs within the stewards’ room, you combat onerous, nevertheless it’s by no means private. However he’s taken it too far now.”
Crimson Bull have but to reply to Russell’s allegations.
In the meantime, Hamilton had admitted he has struggled to manage his feelings this season as he prepares to carry the curtain down on a glittering 12-year keep at Mercedes. The 39-year-old, who signed a deal to hitch Ferrari from 2025 earlier than the beginning of the season, has gained six of his seven world championships with the Silver Arrows, however his ultimate marketing campaign with the staff has not been plain crusing.
Hamilton made the startling admission in Qatar final weekend that “I’m positively not quick any extra” after hinting in Brazil that he wouldn’t even end the season with Mercedes. His struggles continued final outing, the place a string of errors and misfortune left him in the back of the sector and he requested his staff to retire the automotive.
“It’s been a really emotional yr for me and I don’t assume I’ve been the very best at dealing with my feelings this yr,” Hamilton mentioned. “You’ve seen the very best of me and the worst of me, however I’m not going to apologise as I’m human.”
Hamilton admits he didn’t look forward to finding the season so difficult, having knowledgeable Mercedes and staff principal Toto Wolff of his resolution to go away forward of the marketing campaign.
“The primary assembly with Toto at first of the yr was awkward, so it was awkward from the get-go,” he added. “Finally I anticipated it could be tough however massively underestimated how tough it could be. Realising these are the final moments with the staff, it’s onerous to explain the sensation – not the best after all.”
Hamilton has been crushed by his team-mate George Russell in 23 of the 29 qualifying classes staged this season and is ready to complete behind his compatriot within the championship.
This weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will likely be Hamilton’s 246th race with the staff, with 84 victories and 6 world titles below his belt since becoming a member of from McLaren in 2013.
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