The entire spotlight of the 2023 season was on Max Verstappen. The focus was on him winning 13 races so far this season, but fans with good memory would also recall his heated altercation with George Russell in Baku. Verstappen vented his rage on the Briton over an incident that caused damage to the Dutchman’s sidepod at the Azerbaijan GP sprint. However, five months after the tragedy, everything seems to be back to normal. Prior to the Monza weekend, the two were spotted playing Padel tennis together. In light of this, George Russell, in the latest episode of F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast, has now revealed the effects of competing in such tough competition.
On the first lap of the season’s inaugural sprint race, Verstappen and George Russell collided at Turn 2. Verstappen seemed unhappy as Russell attempted to pass him and go into third place. Later, when Russell went to the two-time champion to clarify the situation, he explained that he had no grip. To this, Verstappen reacted aggressively saying, “Mate, we all have no grip. We all need to leave a little space. But expect it next time the same, you know. Dickhead.” Although Russell didn’t respond immediately, he took a stand before the Miami Grand Prix, calling Verstappen’s response “Pathetic.” However, now after a few months have passed, Russell views it from a different perspective.
George Russell justifies Max Verstappen’s Dickhhead jibe
George Russell was recently spotted discussing the motorsports world in the F1: Beyond The Grid Podcast. When their conversation progressed to the point when the host inquired about the incident in Baku, Russell responded with an understanding attitude. “You guys seem to have put that in the parking lot and moved on?” asked the host.
To this, the 25-year-old said, “ Yeah, you know, it’s racing. We’re all in the heat of the moment. It’s a physical sport, even though it’s sometimes not perceived that way. But the cognitive stress you’re under your own personal pressures and pressures from the outside we all want to do the best job possible with. We all respect that. So none of us are pups. We going out there to crash or pups to take somebody else off. “
Later the host tried to twist the incident a little by asking an intriguing question, “Do you require an apology or do you just move on?”
Russell said, “ Oh no, not at all. There’s no, there’s never an apology needed, I think.” Even though Russell was mature enough to demand any apologies, he did add that incidents like these take time to forget. Being professionals, these incidents are – in Russell’s words – “sort of water under the bridge” that moves on.
While Russell was being mature about this incident in the podcast, the host also brought up his infamous incident with Valtteri Bottas in Imola, in 2021.
How did Russell react to the Valtteri Bottas incident at Imola?
George Russell was on the verge of signing a contract with Mercedes to replace Valtteri Bottas in 2021. At Imola that year, in order to pass Bottas on lap 31, Russell, who was running in P10, narrowed the gap with DRS at the tamburello chicane. The drivers collide on the following lap, later blaming one another for the accident.
Fast forward to the present after Russell gained the team’s trust and became an important member. The 25-year-old spoke about this in the podcast. Regarding the incident when the host put up a question asking about its aftermath, Russell said, “I did. I did give him a phone call. Of which he didn’t answer.”
He continued by describing how he also texted Bottas to call him. Even though the Finnish driver never contacted or texted him. Russell states that there is no awkwardness left this is because both of the drivers never bring up the event. He concludes by emphasizing that since everyone is a professional out there, none of this is personal.
