There nonetheless seems to be no love misplaced between Max Verstappen and George Russell following their fall out on the finish of the 2024 F1 season.
A feud emerged between Verstappen and Russell on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale after the Crimson Bull driver claimed Russell had pushed for the grid penalty which price Verstappen pole place on the earlier spherical in Qatar.
In Abu Dhabi, Russell claimed Verstappen had threatened to “put me on my f***ing head within the wall” and blasted the reigning world champion as a “bully”. Their disagreement continued when Verstappen retaliated by labelling Russell a “backstabber” and a “loser”.
There was a clumsy second when Verstappen and Russell have been requested about their spat within the FIA press convention after ending second and third in Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Requested if that they had cleared the air, Verstappen flatly joked: “No, it’s nonetheless shockingly unhealthy.
The four-time world champion moderately unconvincingly added: “It’s all good, it’s all good.”
Russell merely responded: “What he mentioned.”
Even when they don’t absolutely see eye-to-eye, issues have actually simmered down between the pair.
Verstappen to Mercedes off the playing cards
Verstappen and Russell are unlikely to be teammates at Mercedes, with staff boss Toto Wolff revealing on the F1 2025 curtain-raiser that the reigning world champion is not on their radar.
“We have to think about our driver line-up. I do not flirt exterior if I am in a great relationship,” Wolff mentioned in Melbourne.
“So for the time being that [a move for Verstappen] just isn’t on any radar. I do not plan to shift my focus away from these guys and [will] be sure that George has some visibility very quickly, or has a contract very quickly.”
Wolff is ready to take a seat down with Russell quickly to debate a brand new contract, with the Briton’s present deal expiring on the finish of the yr.
