Mercedes star slams 'BULLY' Verstappen in crash threat.....

Mercedes star slams ‘BULLY’ Verstappen in crash threat……read more

Ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, George Russell has launched a fierce attack on Max Verstappen, accusing the Dutch driver of bullying behavior. The comments come in the aftermath of the highly contentious Qatar Grand Prix, where Verstappen clinched his ninth victory of the season. However, the win wasn’t without controversy, as Verstappen was penalized with a one-place grid drop for driving too slowly during qualifying. This incident sparked a heated reaction from George Russell, who felt that Verstappen had deliberately impeded his progress around the Lusail International Circuit.

Russell’s frustration was palpable as he confronted Verstappen, expressing his displeasure to the stewards post-session. The penalty had been a point of contention between the two drivers, and the dispute continued after the race. Verstappen, in response, claimed to have lost all respect for Russell, accusing him of lobbying for the penalty. This exchange marks the latest chapter in the ongoing rivalry between the two, which has become increasingly acrimonious.

The feud between Russell and Verstappen took another turn when Russell publicly criticized the four-time world champion in front of the media gathered at Yas Marina ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Russell’s comments came after Verstappen allegedly threatened to deliberately crash into him during the Qatar race weekend. According to Russell, Verstappen told him that he would “go out of his way to crash into me and put me on my f****** head in the wall.”

For Russell, these comments were both shocking and hypocritical. He pointed out the irony of Verstappen accusing him of lacking integrity, while he himself had made such aggressive remarks just a day before. Russell expressed his disgust at the personal nature of Verstappen’s threats, emphasizing that racing should be about fierce competition, not personal animosity. “I find it all quite ironic,” Russell said. “To question somebody’s integrity as a person, while saying comments like that the day before, I find is very ironic, and I’m not going to sit here and accept it.”

Russell also claimed that Verstappen’s behavior reflected a deeper issue: an inability to cope with adversity. He pointed to previous instances, such as the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Verstappen had reacted aggressively when things didn’t go his way. Russell suggested that Verstappen often lashed out when his dominance was challenged, pointing to the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix as another example, where Verstappen collided with Lewis Hamilton and criticized his entire team after failing to dominate.

For Russell, Verstappen’s recent comments and actions crossed a line. He noted that while on-track battles and heated exchanges in the stewards’ room were part of racing, the personal nature of Verstappen’s threats went too far. “What happens on track, we fight hard, that’s part of racing. What happens in the stewards’ room, you fight hard, but it’s never personal. But he’s taken it too far now,” Russell remarked. He also revealed that Verstappen’s remarks, including his threat to purposely crash into him, were both disrespectful and unnecessary, further intensifying the tension between the two.

In a separate interview with Sky Sports, Russell reiterated his feelings of betrayal. He explained that he had respected Verstappen for over a decade, but after the recent developments, he could no longer continue to do so. “I’ve known Max for 12 years. I respected him all this time, but now I have lost respect for him,” Russell said. The Mercedes driver emphasized that while competition on track was always fierce, it was never meant to be personal. However, Verstappen’s actions had turned their rivalry into something more toxic. Russell also stated that someone needed to stand up to Verstappen’s bullying behavior, implying that his actions had gone beyond the boundaries of normal racing conduct.

The growing animosity between the two drivers has captured the attention of fans and pundits alike, with the tension likely to reach a boiling point during the final races of the season. With both drivers on edge, it remains to be seen whether this feud will simmer down or escalate further, but one thing is clear: the battle between Russell and Verstappen has become as much about personal conflict as it is about racing.