MPH: 'Head boy' Russell ready for battle after Max's 'put me on my f***ing head in the wall' threat

F1

George Russell has claimed that Max Verstappen threatened to ram him into the wall at the start of the Qatar Grand Prix in an explosive F1 row. Even more interesting, says Mark Hughes is why Russell has revealed it

Max Verstappen grimaces at George Russell in 2024 F1 Qatar GP conference

The warring duo in Qatar: Russell says that Verstappen threatened him after qualifying penalty

Bryn Lennon/Getty Images

Mark Hughes

So things have escalated between Max Verstappen and George Russell following their niggle in Qatar last week. You might recall how incensed Verstappen was at what he felt was Russell laying it on thick in the stewards room regarding a relatively innocuous on-track incident in order to (successfully) get Verstappen’s pole position penalised. And himself inserted in his place.

As they left the stewards room Verstappen bluntly told Russell what he thought of him and later made a bit of a character assassination on him to the media. Russell has decided to respond here in Abu Dhabi.

We’ll get to exactly what Russell said in a moment. The more interesting point is why he has chosen to say it. He’s not prepared to back down and inevitably that lends a relevance to any future on-track battles between them, within the backdrop of how Verstappen raced Lando Norris on occasion this year, and Lewis Hamilton occasionally in ‘21. It’s as if Russell is preparing for how he will race him wheel-to-wheel if and when it comes to it.

Max Verstappen leads George Russell at start of 2024 F1 Qatar Grand Prix

Verstappen leads Russell away in Qatar, without carrying out his threat

Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Regarding Verstappen’s comments which painted Russell as two-faced, Russell responded with, “I find it all quite ironic considering that on Saturday night he said he was purposely going to go out of his way to crash into me and, quote, ‘put me on my f***ing head in the wall’. So, to question somebody’s integrity as a person while saying comments like that the day before, I think is very ironic and I’m not going to sit here and accept it.

“People have been bullied by Max for years now. You can’t question his driving ability but he cannot deal with adversity. When anything has gone against him – Jeddah ‘21, Brazil ’21 – he lashes out. Budapest this year, the very first race the car wasn’t dominant, crashing into Lewis, slamming his team.

“Those comments on Saturday night and Sunday were totally disrespectful and unnecessary… We fight hard on track, we fight hard in the stewards room. It’s part of racing. But it’s never personal. He’s taken it too far.”

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Russell seems determined not to be cast in a passive role in any Verstappen drama in future, doesn’t want to be in the Lando Norris position.

“I just don’t know why the drivers when they’ve been in this battle with him have made it so easy and let it be. Lewis is a world champion who I aspire to be like and he’s the gold standard of a role model younger kids should be looking up to. The way Lewis dealt with that championship fight – he was hard, he was aggressive, he was always respectful and he never went beyond the line. You can go beyond the line in making a misjudgement but going out of your way to say you will purposefully crash into somebody and put them on their head is beyond the line…

“We’ve got a guy on the top of this sport who feels he’s above the law and I don’t think that’s right. I admire his on-track battles and when he’s hard and aggressive. But what we saw at the end of the season in ’21 and what we saw with Lando [in Mexico]; they weren’t hard aggressive manoeuvres, they were do or dies — ‘I’m willing to take this guy out’. I don’t think that’s the way we should go racing.”

The incident which triggered all this – a speed differential between them when both were on warm-up laps – was in itself not a big deal. Under the circumstances, the Verstappen one-place grid drop seemed harsh. Russell probably did make more of it than the situation really warranted – for competitive advantage. Verstappen doesn’t generally like Russell’s ‘head boy’ persona and so is probably quite easily wound up by him – and reacted accordingly. The language used and the sentiment behind it wasn’t pretty, but similar can be heard in most karting paddocks on any given weekend. Russell found the response offensive and is not prepared to be cast as the bullied. He’s flying right now, has taken the leadership role of Mercedes and his confidence is taking him to places where he probably feels absolutely ready to take on Verstappen wheel-to-wheel.

It’s just human dynamics and it’s difficult not to see something of the school playground in it. But it’s sure added an extra dimension of interest to the season’s final race.

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