Russell Shows No Interest in Engaging with Verstappen
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Media caption: Russell: ‘Me and Max won’t be best mates’
Published on February 18, 2025
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George Russell says he has no intention of speaking to Max Verstappen to clear the air following their dispute at the end of last season. The conflict escalated when Verstappen was penalized for impeding Russell during the Qatar Grand Prix, which caused the Dutchman to lose all respect for his rival.
However, Briton Russell pushed back against these allegations, suggesting that Verstappen “cannot deal with adversity.” At the F1 75 event at London’s O2 Arena on Tuesday, he stated in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live: “Me and Max haven’t spoken over winter. I’ve got no intentions [to speak], to be honest.”
“That happened last year. I want to focus on myself,” Russell added. “Things got out of line last year. That was then. We are not going back to being best mates, that’s for sure.” This statement concluded the tense relationship between the two drivers who have had their share of clashes in previous seasons.
Later that day, Verstappen addressed Russell’s comments when asked about them at a news conference and said: “I have no intention of continuing any kind of beef. I have nothing to say about that subject.”
Russell was also questioned regarding his concerns over the situation with Verstappen. In response, he stated: “No concerns about him or his driving. I am not going to change my approach fighting him or other drivers.”
Furthermore, Russell expressed his views on a decision by governing body FIA to codify a system that could lead to drivers being banned for swearing or criticizing race officials. As the director of F1 drivers’ body Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), he said: “It’s going quite far.”
“As drivers we have to continue to show our personalities,” Russell continued. “We don’t want to be in a bubble. That’s pretty obvious.
“There is merit in saying you shouldn’t swear in an environment like this [a news conference]. But when it’s not your first language the first words you get taught are the swear words.”
Last year, Verstappen was ordered to do community service after swearing at a news conference during the Singapore Grand Prix. The four-time world champion responded by restricting his answers in an official FIA news conference and speaking outside of it.
Russell also commented on the FIA increasing the severity of punishments for such incidents: “I don’t need to say anything. Everyone’s reaction to it says enough.”
“Of course, you cannot swear anywhere,” Verstappen added. “But in the heat of the moment, playing sport, sometimes things slip out a little bit.
“Plus we all grew up playing sports; it happens that you use a swear word and we shouldn’t take it so seriously. I am not going to tell you how you should behave in life. But we have to deal with it.”
Recently, world rally driver Adrien Fourmaux became the first driver punished under this new rule. He was fined 10,000 euros (8,300) with an additional 20,000 euros (16,600) suspended for swearing in a TV interview after a special stage.
The previous week, Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon both agreed that it was wrong to threaten drivers with bans for swearing. However, they also stressed the importance of keeping one’s language in check outside of the car.
