Purple Bull crew principal Christian Horner has given his full backing to Max Verstappen in his confrontation with George Russell.
The Mercedes driver accused Verstappen of threatening to crash into him after he misplaced pole place to his rival as a consequence of a grid penalty in Qatar final week. Russell mentioned Verstappen instructed him: “I’m going to purposefully crash into you, I’m going to place you in your fucking head within the wall.”
Verstappen is reported to have denied making the feedback. Horner gave unequivocal backing to his driver.
“Max does nothing however inform the reality,” mentioned Horner in right this moment’s FIA press convention. “So I imagine 100% what he mentioned to be correct.”
“Clearly he had a considerable amount of frustration final weekend, the way in which issues performed out in a situation that we haven’t seen earlier than and subsequent penalty,” Horner added. “He turned that into motivation and made a blinding begin, led the race into the primary nook and gained the grand prix, which was the absolute best response.”
Horner mentioned doesn’t count on the row between the 2 drivers will result in one other conflict between the pair on this weekend’s race.
Mercedes crew principal Toto Wolff criticised Horner yesterday for referring Russell as being “hysterical”. Horner claimed his phrases weren’t supposed as an outline of the motive force’s psychological state.
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“I wasn’t speaking concerning the psychology of his driver,” mentioned Horner. “Once I was referring to ‘hysterics’ I used to be extra referring to the roasting that he gave his crew once they fitted a set of hards on the automobile when he requested for a set of mediums and expressed his displeasure for the tyre alternative that they placed on the automobile. I’d get fined if had been to make use of the language that was used on this press convention.”
In response to Wolff description of him as being a “yapping little terrier,” Horner mentioned: “To be known as a terrier, is that such a foul factor?
“They’re not afraid of getting a go on the larger canines. I’d reasonably be a terrier than a wolf, perhaps.”
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