Max Verstappen has “no regrets” criticising George Russell after their dispute over his Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix grid penalty, calling the Mercedes driver’s behaviour “unacceptable.”
Verstappen was observed driving slowly on his cool-down lap during qualifying at the Lusail International Circuit as he didn’t want to impede drivers ahead who were preparing to set a timed lap.
Russell, driving fast behind on his out-lap had to take evasive action and the incident was taken to a stewards’ hearing where Verstappen received an unprecedented one-place grid penalty.
The pair were observed arguing after the hearing and after the race the Dutchman said he’d “lost all respect” for Russell, claiming “I’ve never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard” in a stewards meeting.
A week later, ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen was asked if he had any regrets over his comments in Qatar.
“No, no regrets at all because I meant everything I said and it’s still the same,” the Dutchman said on Thursday.
“If I had to do it again, maybe I would have said even more knowing the outcome of the race results.
“I still can’t believe that someone can be like that in the stewards room. For me, that was so unacceptable because, I mean, we’re all racing drivers.
“We all have a lot of respect for each other. We even, play sports together, travel together and of course, you have moments where you get together, you crash or whatever, you’re not happy.
“In my whole career, I’ve never experienced what I have experienced in the stewards room in Qatar and for me, that was really unacceptable.”
Russell is a Director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association and is a leading voice on driver concerns with F1 and the FIA, but Verstappen clarified that the ongoing spat “has nothing to do with him being the director of the GPDA.”
However, Verstappen revealed that he “never expected someone to really try and actively get someone a penalty that badly and lying about why I was doing what I was doing, but clearly it had an influence [on the stewards].
“Yeah, it was just really not nice and actually very shocking what was going on there.”
Verstappen: Russell driving in Qatar qualifying like ‘he almost killed himself’
Verstappen also went into detail about the circumstances from his perspective that led to the steward investigation in Qatar.
The Dutchman explained that by trying not to get himself in any trouble with the cars ahead, he landed himself in a world of bother with Russell behind.
Moreover, he added that the Mercedes driver was acting like “he almost killed himself or something.”
The Red Bull driver said: “I was just trying to be nice. Lando [Norris] passed me. He was on colder tyres because he only did a build. Or he had to abort his lap or whatever.
“So he passed me. ‘I was like, okay, whatever. I just back out. I don’t want to be in anyone’s way. You know, we’re anyway in Q3, just finding track position.
“Then I think Fernando [Alonso] came out of the pits with new tyres. I think it was quite clear that with the new tyres, you have to push quite hard on the out-lap to get temp. So out of Turn 10, I see him in the mirror flying. Okay, I’ll let him by.
“Then I just sort myself out. Then, of course, everything slowed up in front because there were quite a few cars. I slowed down as well because I don’t want to then speed up, try to ruin their preparation as well.
“Then I see someone flying in my mirror, acting like the most dangerous situation just happened. He almost killed himself or something. It was unbelievable.
“We’re all on a slow lap. It’s not even like someone was on a fast lap.
“So when I got called to the stewards, it was a big surprise to me because I didn’t really impede anyone.
“I think also on a slow lap, we all drive on our normal lines because we’re all trying not to pick up dirt anyway. It’s not necessary when everyone is driving slow.
“I don’t know how they came, of course, to that conclusion. It was, of course, for me very disappointing because basically by actually trying to stay out of trouble, you put yourself in trouble.
“Also, I think at that point of the season, almost the end of the season, I don’t want to be fighting with anyone. They come after me after qualifying, like, ‘why did you ruin my lap to start my lap? What are you doing?’
“So I’m like, I don’t want to put myself in that position. But basically, by doing that, I put myself in that position where I had to be going to the stewards.
“I felt straight away when I was in there, it was not going to go anywhere. So it was very weird.”
READ MORE – Max Verstappen ‘lost all respect’ for George Russell over F1 Qatar GP penalty
