Max Verstappen slated George Russell over his rival’s remarks in yesterday’s assembly with the stewards which led to the Purple Bull driver receiving a penalty.
The stewards handed Verstappen a one-place grid penalty for driving unnecessarily slowly in qualifying after Russell swerved to keep away from the Purple Bull and accused him on his radio of “harmful” driving. Russell benefited from the penalty, taking pole place for right now’s race.
Verstappen, who handed Russell at first and went on to win right now’s race, was unimpressed by his rival’s statements within the assembly.
“I used to be fairly shocked when sitting there within the stewards room what was all happening,” mentioned Verstappen. “Truthfully, it was very disappointing, as a result of I feel all of us right here, we respect one another rather a lot. And naturally, I’ve been in that assembly room many occasions in my life and my profession with those that I’ve raced and I’ve by no means seen somebody making an attempt to screw somebody over that arduous. And that’s, for me, I misplaced all respect.”
The Purple Bull driver mentioned he “couldn’t imagine” he was penalised for the incident, which occured because the pair had been making ready to start their remaining flying laps in qualifying. “However in a method, I’m additionally not shocked any extra on the earth that I stay in.
“So that you’re not pleased with it, however at one level additionally it’s a must to simply flip the web page. Nevertheless it wasn’t very pleasurable to see that occur.”
Verstappen insisted he was making an attempt to make sure all drivers had an opportunity to set a time. “I feel that’s the primary time that [during] a sluggish lap somebody has been penalised,” he mentioned. “When, really, I simply tried to be good, so possibly I shouldn’t be good.
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“However the factor is that we’re being good as a result of on the finish of the season, the whole lot is kind of determined, for me particularly. I didn’t wish to screw anybody over to arrange their lap. And by doing that, being good, principally you get a penalty.
“That’s what I attempted to clarify, as nicely, however I simply felt like I used to be speaking to a brick wall, so there’s not a lot that was doable, for no matter cause. I feel I actually spoke about legitimate causes of what occurred.
“It was clear reduce that round me there have been totally different eventualities happening as nicely, with folks having colder tyres and stuff, so that they needed to push anyway. I didn’t wish to then trigger a scene into the final nook and then nobody had a lap. So very stunning.”
Verstappen has had harsh phrases for his rival previously. The pair clashed within the dash race at Baku final yr, after which Verstappen referred to as his rival a “dickhead.”
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