After Max Verstappen’s angry tirade towards George Russell following the Qatar Grand Prix, the Sky Sports F1 Podcast reflected on why the world champion was so infuriated.
Verstappen, who a week earlier in Las Vegas was crowned world champion for a fourth successive season, topped Saturday’s qualifying in Qatar but was investigated after the session for “driving unnecessarily slowly” as the drivers prepared for the final flying laps.
The stewards, following a hearing on Saturday night attended by both drivers, decided that Verstappen had impeded Russell and implemented a rarely-seen one-place grid penalty that switched their positions on the front row.
Red Bull’s Verstappen passed Russell at the first corner before going on to win Sunday’s race, with the Briton having to settle for fourth after a botched pit stop ruined his hopes of a podium.
Listen to the episode in full to hear Naomi Schiff and Karun Chandhok analyse the controversial decisions made in Qatar and Lewis Hamilton’s struggles. Subscribe now on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Spreaker
Verstappen reportedly confronted Russell ahead of the race and said afterwards that he had “lost all respect” for the Brit.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Sky Sports F1 Podcast, former W series driver Naomi Schiff explained why Verstappen was so irked by Russell’s actions.
“What happened with Max and George now, whilst there’s never been very much love lost between the two of them, I think this really was the last nail in the coffin,” Schiff said.
“In qualifying, George already knows that there are two cars up ahead of him that are on slow laps as well, because he was also on a cool down lap, but he was preparing his tyres for the next lap.
“So, he’s aware that there are two cars ahead of him slowing down. Max is also aware at one point that Stroll is behind him. He then lets him past and knows that George is also coming, but is told that George is also on a slow lap. So, nobody in this scenario feels that they’re going to compromise the driver behind them because they’re all theoretically in the same situation.
“As we’ve said before, this is quite a flat track with great visibility, so you can see quite far down the road where the next car is. So, it took us all a little bit by surprise that George was so caught out by where Max was, the speed he was going when he approached him.
“George obviously immediately reported that as being dangerously slow. You could see it was sort of like an exaggerated loss of the car, went off a little bit, touched the gravel. And then he immediately set it over the radio and then this whole scenario plays itself out.
“Now the issue is, whilst you go into the stewards’ room as drivers and defend your case, and it’s a little bit like being in the principal’s office or in a courtroom, everyone’s got to sort of plead their case, you’re always going to do what’s in favour of yourself. You’re never going to just hand it over to the other driver.
“I think the issue here is that it wasn’t necessarily within reason, because I think what George has essentially done by making this out to be a bigger offence than what it really was, is open up the door for other drivers to do essentially the same thing.
“Drive fast up to a car that’s on a slow lap in front of them and make it seem like they’re driving slowly to force them into an error. So that’s what we don’t want to see. And I think we obviously were not in the stewards’ room. We don’t know exactly what was said. We don’t know what George said. We don’t know what Max said.
“And therefore, it’s really difficult to know how far George went in terms of what between racing drivers is respectable or not. But it seems that whatever happened or whatever went down in there, Max said quite clearly he doesn’t want anything to do with George anymore. So, it’s got to have been a little a step further than what we’ve seen in the past.”
Verstappen and Russell will both speak to the media on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the whole event live on Sky Sports F1.
Sky Sports F1’s live Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Thursday December 5
11am: Drivers’ Press Conference
Friday December 6
5.45am: F1 Academy Practice
7am: F2 Practice
9am: Abu Dhabi GP Practice One (session starts at 9.30am)*
10.55am: F2 Qualifying
12.45pm: Abu Dhabi GP Practice Two (session starts at 1pm)*
2.30pm: F1 Academy Qualifying*
3.15pm: The F1 Show*
Saturday December 7
8.10am: F1 Academy Race One
10.15am: Abu Dhabi GP Practice Three (session starts at 10.30am)
12.10pm: F2 Sprint Race
1.15pm: Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying build-up
2pm: ABU DHABI GP QUALIFYING*
4pm: F1 Academy: Race Two
5pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday December 8
7.10am: F1 Academy Race Three
9.20am: F2 Feature Race
11.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Abu Dhabi GP build-up
1pm: The ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX
3pm: Chequered Flag: Abu Dhabi GP reaction
4pm: Ted’s Notebook
*also live on Sky Sports Main Event
Watch the final race of the 2024 Formula 1 season – the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – live this coming week on Sky Sports F1, with Sunday’s race at 1pm. Get Sky Sports F1 or stream with NOW
