Verstappen contradicts Russell over crash threat

Max Verstappen has refuted the suggestion he threatened to deliberately crash into George Russell at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Verstappen was issued a one-place grid penalty last weekend after Russell took issue with his slow driving as the latter prepared to set a fast lap during Q3.

The matter boiled over when Verstappen stated he had lost respect for Russell due to his attitude in the stewards' room - however Russell has claimed it was Verstappen who was hostile when they were summoned.

Russell also suggested Verstappen threatened to crash into him on purpose in Lusail, causing Verstappen to deny the allegations made by his rival.

“That's already not true,” Verstappen told select media including RacingNews365. “I didn't walk in [to the stewards' meeting] swearing at all either.

“Things like that don't surprise me though. Look, I'm just clearly expressing my opinion about how he is. 

“It's the same thing he did to the stewards, lying and sticking things together that don't make sense.”

Russell also claimed Verstappen has been a “bully” on the grid for several years, leading the four-time champion to reverse the suggestion

“And he screws over his friends,” Verstappen asserted.

“You shouldn't really talk too much about people like that either. They're just losers. I don't care anyway, they're all doing just fine.”

Although Verstappen was issued the grid penalty, he swiftly overtook Russell in Qatar before prevailing for his ninth win of the season.

“I'm allowed to give my opinion about what happened, right? It was severely disappointing. We have the last laugh, though, because we win the race,” he said.

“They start on pole, with that nitpicking from them and the stewards, but after 300 meters they are already behind. I can't do anything about that either.

“I'm not here to be best friends. That's not my goal in the paddock, so I don't care much about that.”