You might think it’s a plot concocted for the Netflix cameras. It’s not. It’s a real enmity, and it’s hard to see it waning as long as Max Verstappen and George Russell share the same tarmac.
Considering Verstappen is 27 and Russell 26, there are still plenty of bumpy roads ahead.
The idea that this final race would take place quietly under the Abu Dhabi sun was shattered when the pair in adjoining hospitality suites became the worst of neighbours.
“A bully” who tried to drive him against the wall, Russell claimed. “A loser,” mocked Verstappen, who intensified his objections to “two-faced” Russell as he felt he had been stitched up by the Mercedes man in the stewards’ room in Qatar last weekend.
Characteristic of the four-time world champion is that he is most direct and talkative when he is angry. As for Russell, we hadn’t yet seen on a public stage how he reacts when put in a proverbial corner. We know now: fighting is what he had to do if he wasn’t going to be Verstappen’s bunny for the rest of his career.
He couldn’t do what Lando Norris did after coming into contact with Verstappen in Austria. The McLaren driver first blamed Verstappen, but withdrew the core of his complaints the following race.
The new rivalry between George Russell (left) and Max Verstappen (right) is a real enmity
Russell has labeled Verstappen a ‘bully’, while the insult of ‘a loser’ was thrown the other way
The 26-year-old Russell had to fight if he did not want to be Verstappen’s bunny for the rest of his career
The climb down gave the impression that the Dutchman had Norris exactly where he wanted him for the rest of the season: on and off the track.
Russell said ahead of the race in Qatar that he believed he would have beaten Verstappen to the world title this year in the McLaren or Red Bull. Did that statement reach Verstappen’s ears prior to qualifying and the subsequent row that started the swearing?
Regardless of whether Russell Verstappen’s comments irritated or not, they meant that the Briton could now no longer make a credible comeback. And wow, he let Verstappen go.
Having never caused controversy in a career characterized by Mercedes’ corporate image, he took a closer look at Max’s modus operandi.
“It’s funny because before I even said a word to the stewards he was swearing at them,” Russell said. “He was so angry before I even said anything. The facts were the facts. He was going too slow. He was on the racing line in the highest speed corner.
“I tried not to punish him at all when I was on the track. I was in pole position at that moment. I was just trying to prepare for my round. And as drivers you fight hard on the track. You fight hard in the stewards. The same way Max asked his team the next day to watch Lando’s penalty through the yellow flag.
‘That’s not personal, Max to Lando. That’s just racing. And I don’t understand why he felt the need for this personal attack. And I’m not going to accept it.
‘I’ve known Max for a long time. I know what he is capable of. He told me he was going to purposely bump into me and put my damn head against the wall.
The duo collided in Qatar last weekend and it is a story of focus in the final race
Russell further claimed that Michael Masi would have ‘fought for his life’ if he had cost Verstappen the championship as he did Lewis Hamilton in 2021.
‘If I compare his actions with those of Lewis (Hamilton), Lewis is the kind of world champion I want to be. The way he fought Max in 2021 was tough. Very difficult. It’s fair. But never out of line.
‘And Lewis lost that championship unfairly. Can you imagine if the roles were reversed? Max loses that championship. I mean, (race director Michael) Masi would fear for his life.”
There is no doubt that Verstappen is a spirited driver and personality. As a racer, he is more in the uncompromising mold of Michael Schumacher than Hamilton, who has never been dirty on the track.
But Verstappen also has excellent racing talent, a fact he repeatedly underlined when he beat Norris.
He also demonstrated the same skill during his enthusiastic but perfectly executed start last week. After being demoted from pole position for hindering Russell – the point of contention – he strong-armed his way past Russell. One turn. A point made.
We now know what was going through Russell’s mind at this stage. Max was in his head.
Verstappen then drove a flawless race and led every lap. Russell finished fourth – not his best day after his fantastic win in Las Vegas a week earlier.
But in his pointed comments, Russell showed he’s not willing to walk over anything, even a force of nature.
Verstappen won on the grid last week, overtook Russell early and dominated the race
However, Russell has now shown that he is not prepared to be walked anywhere
What could have been
The Southern Sun is the Abu Dhabi hotel for FIA staff. As I walked into the lobby Thursday morning, my thoughts turned back to the eve of the 2021 decider here.
Michael Masi, whose ‘human error’ cost him his job as race director a few days later, had kept his word to give me an interview.
We sat in the lobby and I joked with him that he “liked a red flag” because he had used the race-stopping strategy more times than the late Charlie Whiting, whom he had the unenviable task of replacing.
But when Nicholas Latifi crashed, bringing out the most controversial safety car ever, he didn’t wave the red flag. He was probably right not to, but it’s hard not to think how differently history would have played out if he had.
Michael Masi made history with his call-up at the end of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix three years ago
His decision to introduce a controversial safety car saw Verstappen win his first title
Expect the unexpected
Few things can drain the mind more than dead rubbers. And as far as the Drivers’ Championship goes, this is the second.
But I remember thinking that before Romain Grosjean went up in flames in Bahrain four years ago. That made the heart beat faster, not least for him when he miraculously escaped. Formula 1 has the recurring gift of delivering breaking news when you least expect it.
Dead rubber can often cause surprises in racing, such as when Romain Grosjean caught fire in Bahrain four years ago
Verstappen still a target?
Toto Wolff was present on Thursday when George Russell spoke in the Mercedes hospitality area. Strange – not usual procedure. A show of support, I guess.
One more observation: Wolff did not criticize Verstappen, perhaps revealing that his switch to the four-time world champion for 2026 is still in flux.
Max and George? That would be tough.
Mercedes Toto Wolff didn’t criticize Verstappen this week – could he still be aiming for a move?
Hairdressing chair, from London to Qatar
What does the author of this column have in common with Jude Bellingham?
Wonderful football talent, special.
I had his hairdresser cut my hair in Qatar, part of a pop-up hairdresser in the paddock. Novak Djokovic and I were patrons. Thanks to HD Cutz from London.
The author of this column had his hair cut by Jude Bellingham’s hairdresser in Qatar last week
Hamilton’s final farewell
Thursday night’s drinks took place above the docks of Mercedes’ paddock base, a few floors above where Russell had set off the fireworks a few hours earlier. There was a video celebrating Lewis Hamilton’s years with them that ended this weekend.
His manager Marc Hynes was with him. But when I was there, there was no sign of the great man himself. His relations with the press have remained distant for a long time.