Max Verstappen had very harsh words for George Russell, the cause of his penalty after qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix.
They won't go on vacation together. Despite his victory on Sunday at the Qatar Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was particularly upset, displaying a certain resentment towards George Russell. The four-time world champion did not at all appreciate the behavior of the Mercedes driver, the cause of his penalty at the end of qualifying.
Although he had taken pole position, the Dutchman was demoted one place in favor of the Briton who accused him of having hindered him. Both summoned before the commissioners to explain themselves after the session, they each put forward their arguments and George Russell would have done everything to ensure that Max Verstappen was penalized.
“The way he behaved is completely ridiculous. I have respect for everyone, but I lost it towards him. I found it ridiculous how much he wanted me to be penalized,” said the Red Bull driver on Viaplay, which broadcasts F1 in his country. He then painted an unflattering portrait of Lewis Hamilton's teammate.
“Do you know what he is like? He's always very polite in front of the cameras, but as soon as they're off he's a completely different person. I can't stand this, he can go to hell. I don’t want anything to do with him anymore,” he said.
This penalty did not prevent Max Verstappen from winning, after taking the lead from the first corner, to claim his 9th victory of the season. For his part, George Russell had to settle for 4th place. And the two drivers will meet again this weekend for the last Grand Prix of the season in Abu Dhabi.
