F1: George Russell accuses Max Verstappen of bullying

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates –

The tensions between Mercedes driver George Russell and Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen escalated further as Russell accused Verstappen of bullying and threatening behavior following an incident at the Qatar Grand Prix last week.

Verstappen expressed his loss of respect for Russell after a qualifying incident that cost him pole position for the race in Qatar, stating that he had “lost all respect” for his fellow driver.

In response, Russell spoke out against Verstappen, claiming that the Dutch driver had threatened to intentionally crash into him during a confrontation on Saturday.

“I’ve known Max for 12 years and have always respected him, but his actions have crossed a line. It’s time someone stood up to this bullying behavior,” Russell stated in an interview with Sky Sports ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Russell also criticized Verstappen’s on-track behavior towards other drivers, citing incidents involving Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton as examples of his aggressive tactics.

Verstappen, who was penalized for driving unnecessarily slow during qualifying in Qatar, defended his actions and accused Russell of lying to manipulate the stewards into giving him a penalty.

“I stand by my comments and have no regrets. It was shocking to see someone try to manipulate the situation to their advantage,” Verstappen stated in response to Russell’s accusations.

The ongoing feud between Russell and Verstappen has added a new layer of drama to the Formula 1 season finale in Abu Dhabi, with fans eagerly anticipating the showdown between the two drivers on the track.