Max Verstappen v George Russell - what's going on?

"Max has been intimidating others for many years."

"George is disloyal. It's disappointing that he brings up all this unnecessary drama. He's just someone who doesn't have it together."

"Max feels empowered because no one has challenged him. He struggles to handle difficult situations, reacts aggressively toward his entire team, and completely loses control."

"George fabricates stories and combines various falsehoods."

When it comes to the intensity of the language used, the argument between George Russell and Max Verstappen that has escalated over the past week is quickly becoming one of the most memorable rivalries in Formula 1 history.

On Thursday night, both of them participated in the customary yearly dinner that the drivers hold in Abu Dhabi.

Russell arrived last. There were only two seats available, and both were beside Verstappen. Verstappen greeted him with a wave, said, "Hi, George," and motioned for him to take a seat.

Russell greeted everyone during what was likely an uncomfortable situation, pulled a chair away, and sat next to his teammate, Lewis Hamilton.

It could have been a misunderstanding. If Russell had taken the time to talk with Verstappen, they likely could have resolved everything in just a few minutes.

These two share a past.

Following a collision in the sprint race in Azerbaijan in 2022, Verstappen referred to Russell as "Princess George" and labeled him "a jerk" in a confrontation that the British driver deemed "somewhat sad."

For the past two years, it’s been largely inactive, a period mostly marked by Verstappen and his Red Bull team's dominance.

However, as the 2024 season comes to a close, with the competition tightening among the four leading teams and their drivers, it only took one minor incident for tensions to escalate dramatically.

Following their recent comments, it seems they might take a break from playing padel together. This sport has become the current favorite for F1 drivers, and they've been enjoying it frequently this year, often joining Lando Norris, Alex Albon, and occasionally Carlos Sainz.

This situation kicked off with Verstappen making comments in public after his victory at the Qatar Grand Prix last weekend. He expressed that he had "lost all respect" for Russell, stating, "I’ve never seen anyone attempt to undermine someone quite like that."

The Dutch driver's remarks were aimed at his viewpoint on Russell's behavior in the stewards' office during the Qatar hearings. This situation resulted in the Red Bull driver receiving a one-place grid penalty, pushing him down from pole position to second place behind Russell's Mercedes.

Verstappen was summoned by the stewards for driving too slowly, and Russell, who had been affected by this, accompanied him.

They secured the top two positions for the grand prix, with Verstappen in front of Russell.

Verstappen violated the regulation that sets the minimum speed drivers must maintain during slow laps in qualifying. However, the situation in the stewards' room angered Verstappen because he believed that Russell had exaggerated his argument in an attempt to get Verstappen penalized.

Russell, who posted the fastest times during the initial runs of the final qualifying round, believed that the incident had cost him the top starting spot.

After the hearing, they had a heated exchange outside the stewards' room, where Russell alleged that Verstappen threatened to deliberately crash into him, saying he would "put me headfirst into the wall." They also clashed again while being interviewed on the grid before the race. Their second confrontation was seen by Sainz, Norris, and Verstappen's teammate, Sergio Perez.

Due to the scheduling of the post-race interviews in Qatar, Thursday—media day for the season finale in Abu Dhabi—was the first opportunity for Russell to respond to Verstappen's remarks.

"It's amusing," he remarked, "because before I even had a chance to say anything to the stewards, he was already cursing at them. He was livid even before I opened my mouth."

There's no need to be untruthful here. He was driving at a very slow pace while on the racing line during a high-speed turn. I had no intention of getting him penalized; I was simply trying to set myself up for my own lap.

"You put in a tough battle on the race track and with the race officials, just like Max did the following day when he asked his team to review Lando's penalty regarding the yellow flag. It's nothing personal; it's just part of racing. I’m unsure why he chose to make this personal comment, but I won’t let it affect me."

It’s not that Russell and Verstappen have always had a strong dislike for one another, but it’s evident that their relationship could use some attention.

Naturally, some drivers get along better with certain colleagues than with others.

Verstappen has a great rapport with Nico Hulkenberg. Norris shares a close friendship with Sainz, and the bond between Sainz and Charles Leclerc appears to be especially strong for teammates. Meanwhile, Hamilton tends to be more private and reserved.

This period has seen an extraordinary level of camaraderie among the drivers. However, once they hit the track—where their intense competitive spirits truly come alive—all of that camaraderie disappears.

For the other motorists, it's quite funny and simply part of the experience.

Norris, who is both Verstappen's competitor for the title this season and a friend to both drivers, remarked: "When George made his comments... there are moments in racing where drivers hold a mutual respect for one another. In those situations, you wish for neither of them to face penalties since it's one of those instances where penalties don't seem justified."

Mercedes isn't in the running for the championship, so they're willing to do whatever it takes to secure a pole position or a victory. This might have cost them some respect from Max.

"Everyone has their own approach to things. I found it entertaining to see how they debated with each other."

Fernando Alonso, who has shared a clear mutual respect with Verstappen for many years, brushed aside the Dutch driver's accusation that Russell was being two-faced.

"Not really," Alonso replied. "George is an excellent driver and a wonderful person. I'm also a good friend of his. I don't believe he's being two-faced in any way."

I believe Max would likely share my opinion that I've mentioned several times: some of the penalties seem to lack consistency.

"Sometimes, when you experience a specific situation in Qatar and then encounter the same thing at a later event, even if you try to recreate it on your own, the outcomes, especially concerning penalties, may not be the same. That’s where the frustration can arise for us."

We can't overlook the background surrounding this situation for either party involved.

For Verstappen, this event occurred at the conclusion of a lengthy and challenging season that has been his most remarkable in several ways.

He secured the championship with two races to spare, even though his car was only the quickest in the first five races. He achieved this by maintaining a level of skill and consistency that no one else could replicate. Everyone in Formula 1, including Russell, recognizes this.

On Thursday, Alonso expressed his thoughts, saying, "When I noticed that our car was sometimes the third or fourth quickest… and saw McLaren secure first and second places in a race prior to the summer… at Zandvoort, Lando won with a lead of about 25 seconds over the runner-up… I figured the championship would be competitive all the way through to Abu Dhabi. However, it turned out to be less competitive because one driver really stood out."

Meanwhile, Verstappen has been managing a team that has occasionally appeared to be on the verge of disintegration.

The situation began with accusations of sexual harassment against team principal Christian Horner, which he has consistently denied. He has also been exonerated by two internal investigations.

Verstappen's dad, Jos, has had some conflicts with Horner due to the accusations. Although they seem to be getting along for now, Horner is aware that he needs to handle both Verstappens carefully.

Max has also dealt with the departure of the top designer in Formula 1 history, Adrian Newey, which is partly linked to the accusations surrounding Horner. Additionally, two other senior colleagues he has collaborated with for nearly ten years have also left.

He has guided his team through a challenging period concerning their car's performance over the summer. Now, they've come out stronger, highlighted by his impressive and career-defining win in the rain in Brazil, where he started in 17th position and ultimately clinched a title-worthy victory.

Russell, who serves as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, is leading the charge for drivers to push the FIA to revise the racing regulations. This initiative was sparked by Verstappen's contentious driving against Norris during the US Grand Prix.

Following Verstappen's aggressive defense of his position in Austin, where he executed his signature 'dive-bomb' maneuver, he managed to stay within the regulations by being in front when reaching the turning point. However, this tactic forced both cars off the track as they exited the corner, a strategy he had effectively used against Lewis Hamilton during the 2021 season. The drivers were clearly fed up with this approach.

Everyone appreciates Verstappen both as an individual and for his skills as a driver. However, as Verstappen mentioned in a BBC Sport interview in Las Vegas, "The way I behave on the track isn't necessarily a reflection of who I am off it. I understand that if you aim to win and become a champion, you have to push your limits."

To a lot of his fellow drivers, Verstappen's aggressive driving style can be seen as unacceptable.

After the incident in Austin, a drivers' meeting took place in Mexico the following week. During this meeting, most of the drivers expressed their desire for the racing rules to be revised. They wanted the new rules to explicitly prohibit, rather than implicitly permit or even promote, the dive-bomb defense tactic.

Following the meeting, Russell mentioned that 19 out of the 20 drivers were on the same page about the direction it should take. He didn't reveal who the lone exception was, and he didn't have to.

Two days later, during the Mexico City Grand Prix, Verstappen took his aggressive driving to another level against Norris, resulting in him receiving two separate 10-second penalties for different actions he made in just one lap.

On Thursday, Russell expressed, "Lewis is the kind of champion I look up to—he's tough yet fair, and he never crosses the line."

"I'm not going to stress about it. I never planned to say anything or address it this way, but he's crossed the line with his personal attack. I'm just sharing the facts and giving a response in kind."

There's an additional aspect to consider. Their disagreement also brings back the rivalry between their two teams, which had mostly been quiet since the intense championship fight between Verstappen and Hamilton in 2021.

After Horner referred to Russell as "hysterical" during the Qatar event, Mercedes team leader Toto Wolff decided to join in. In an uncommon move, Wolff showed up at Russell's press conference on Thursday and signaled to a reporter that he was eager to participate with a question of his own.

He took a jab at Horner: "What gives him the right to talk about my driver? He's like a yapping little dog, always has something to add."

This isn't the first disagreement among drivers in Formula 1, and it certainly won't be the last. Such conflicts are part of what keeps the sport exciting.

One of the most captivating aspects of watching it is how it reveals the true nature of its opponents. The high-stakes environment and fierce competition leave no room for pretense, forcing everyone to show their real selves.

When it comes to the intensity of their competition on the track, the encounters between Russell and Verstappen don't quite compare to the legendary battles like Ayrton Senna versus Alain Prost or Hamilton versus Nico Rosberg.

They still don't have the tools needed to compete with each other at a level of intensity that would elevate the competition.

However, it definitely possesses all the elements needed to evolve into something similar.