Verstappen responds to Russell after Norris 'bet' suggestion

Max Verstappen has laughed off George Russell's claim there will be drama between the Dutchman and Lando Norris during the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Following the late-race fight between the pair in Austin last weekend, Russell underscored the chance that both will clash again at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez by suggesting you could put money on it.

In that battle, when attempting to overtake Verstappen, Norris found himself forced wide, ultimately completing the move with both drivers off track.

The stewards took a dim view of his exploits and handed him a five-second time penalty - dropping him back behind the three-time F1 champion at the chequered flag.

Whereas the pair did not make contact at the Circuit of the Americas, they did come together earlier in the season.

In similar circumstances, while Norris was trying to get past around the outside for the lead of the Austrian Grand Prix, the two drivers hit each other. It forced the McLaren into retirement. Verstappen, meanwhile, could continue, finishing fifth after a penalty for the incident.

But now, with the Red Bull driver lining up for the race in Mexico in second place and Norris in third, Russell has predicted round three between the title rivals.

Whilst Verstappen holds a healthy advantage in the F1 drivers' championship, the McLaren racer is his closest challenger, 57 points behind and still in a good position to push the title fight to the wire in Abu Dhabi.

When Russell's comments about their being action between the pair were put to the 27-year-old by Dutch media including RacingNews365, he light-heartedly dismissed it, saying: "That's totally fine, you know. He just does what he wants!"

Nevertheless, the long run down to the first corner in Mexico has - and likely will - cause early drama in the race. Often, the driver in third has come out of Turn 1 leading, as Verstappen himself did in 2021.

But the three-time drivers' champion remains unconcerned by the possibility of those behind picking up a tow down the main straight at the start.

"I'll see that during the race," he said. "I'm not so worried about that. I'm already happy that we're second because that obviously creates a lot of opportunities.

"I think we all know that it is nice to drive in free air here because. of course, everything gets very hot."