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George Russell (left) with Max Verstappen. Alamy Stock Photo

George Russell says Max Verstappen threatened to 'put me on my head in the wall'

The four-time world champion has also been labelled a bully by the Mercedes driver.

GEORGE RUSSELL HAS accused Max Verstappen of threatening to deliberately crash into him, after the Dutchman refused to back down over his criticism of the Mercedes driver.

Russell accused Verstappen of blocking him dangerously during qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix last week, a claim that resulted in a stewardsโ€™ investigation and Verstappen losing pole position to Russell.

The Red Bull driver said ahead of this weekendโ€™s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that Russell had lied to the stewards and that he had โ€œno regretsโ€ over his comments in Doha, when he said he had โ€œlost all respectโ€ for the Briton.

Russell hit back at Verstappenโ€™s latest tirade, saying the four-time world champion was a bully who threatened to crash into him on purpose.

โ€œI find it all quite ironic considering (that on) Saturday night he said heโ€™s going to purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and, quote, โ€˜Put me on my (expletive) head in the wallโ€™,โ€ said the Mercedes driver.

โ€œSo to question someoneโ€™s integrity as a person while saying comments like that the day before, I find very ironic.

โ€œIโ€™m not going to sit here and accept it. People have been bullied by Max for years now and you canโ€™t question his driving abilities, but he canโ€™t deal with adversity.

โ€œWhenever anything has gone against himโ€ฆ he lashes out. Budapest this year, the very first race his car wasnโ€™t dominant, crashing into Lewis, slamming his team.

โ€œFor me, those comments on Saturday night and Sunday were totally disrespectful and unnecessary because what happens on track โ€” and we fight hard โ€” itโ€™s part of racingโ€ฆ But heโ€™s taken it too far now.โ€

Verstappen went on to claim victory in Qatar from second on the grid alongside Russell who, he claimed, had persuaded the stewards to penalise him.

โ€œI have no regrets at all, because I meant everything I said,โ€ said Verstappen.

โ€œIf I had to do it again, maybe I would have said even more!

โ€œKnowing the outcome of the race, I still canโ€™t believe that someone can be like that in the stewardsโ€™ room.

โ€œFor me, that was so unacceptable because, I mean, we are all racing drivers.

โ€œWe have a lot of respect for each other. We even play sports together, travel togetherโ€ฆ and, of course, you have moments where you get together and crash or whatever when you are not happyโ€ฆ

โ€œI just never expected someone to really try and actively get someone a penalty that badly and lying about what I was doing, but it clearly had an influence on them.โ€

Russell insisted he would not attempt to clear the air with his rival, saying it was Verstappenโ€™s โ€œproblem to deal withโ€.

โ€œYou can go beyond the line in making a slight misjudgement, but going out of your way to say youโ€™ll purposefully crash into someone and put them on their head is beyond the line.โ€

โ€“ ยฉ AFP 2024

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    Mute Ollie Fitzpatrick
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    Jun 2nd 2024, 7:48 AM

    Welcome on board Tom, we wish you well!!

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    Mute Andrew Smyth
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    Jun 3rd 2024, 8:48 AM

    Good choice not to say anything publicly. We would been booed in every ground. Welcome aboard Tom.

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