Verstappen “would have stated much more” about “mendacity” Russell

Max Verstappen has doubled down on his criticism of George Russell following their altercation after Qatar Grand Prix qualifying.

Verstappen and Russell usually loved cordial relations up to now, however that modified on the Qatar Grand Prix when Verstappen felt Russell was attempting to sew him up in entrance of the FIA race stewards and land the Dutchman a penalty for impeding him whereas on a warm-up lap throughout Saturday’s qualifying session.

Verstappen ended up with a one-place penalty, which noticed him lose his pole for the grand prix to the Mercedes driver. However he then retaliated on Sunday by making a greater begin than Russell and taking the lead, earlier than happening to say his ninth grand prix victory of the season.

Afterwards Verstappen stated he had misplaced all respect for Russell for the way in which he was actively attempting to get the Dutchman in hassle, together with his group boss Christian Horner labelling Russell as “fairly hysterical” over the Qatar problem.

Requested in Abu Dhabi if pressure had cooled and Verstappen thought any in a different way about his row with Russell, the four-time world champion as a substitute doubled down on his criticism.

“No, no regrets in any respect, as a result of I meant all the things I stated and it is nonetheless the identical,” Verstappen stated on Thursday. “If I needed to do it once more, possibly I’d have stated much more, figuring out the end result of the race outcome.

“I nonetheless cannot imagine that somebody might be like that within the stewards room. For me, that was so unacceptable, as a result of we’re all racing drivers. All of us have numerous respect for one another. We even play sports activities collectively, you journey collectively.

“And naturally, you might have moments the place you get collectively, you crash, or no matter, you are not completely happy. In my complete profession, I’ve by no means skilled what I’ve skilled within the stewards’ room in Qatar. And for me, that was actually unacceptable.”

Verstappen claimed Russell was “mendacity” to the stewards about what he was doing on the outlap, with the Dutchman explaining he was simply attempting to remain out of hassle now he already has the world championship within the bag on the finish of an extended season.

“It is nothing to do with him being the director of the GPDA,” he stated. “I simply by no means anticipated somebody to essentially attempt to actively get somebody a penalty that badly and mendacity about why I used to be doing what I used to be doing. However clearly it had an affect on [the stewards]. It was simply actually not good and really very surprising what was happening there.”

Talking in regards to the incident, Verstappen added: “All the things slowed up in entrance, as a result of there have been fairly a number of vehicles, and I slowed down as nicely as a result of I do not wish to then velocity up and attempt to spoil their preparation as nicely.

“Then I see somebody flying in my mirror, performing like essentially the most harmful scenario simply occurred and he nearly killed himself or one thing. It was unbelievable. And we’re all on a gradual lap, it isn’t even like somebody was on the quick lap.

“I do not understand how the [stewards] got here to that conclusion. By truly attempting to remain out of hassle, you set your self in hassle. And likewise at that time of the season I do not wish to be preventing with anybody after they come to me after qualifying saying: ‘Why did you spoil my lap. What are you doing?’

“I do not wish to put myself in that place. However principally, by doing that, I put myself in that place the place I needed to go to the stewards.”