George Russell has spoken out concerning the standing of his relationship with Max Verstappen after their clashes final yr.
A bust-up on the F1 Qatar Grand Prix in late-2024 noticed Pink Bull’s Verstappen and Mercedes’ Russell proceed their disagreement.
Now Russell has supplied an replace – and it appears that evidently rebuilding their friendship is off the playing cards.
They “hadn’t spoken” over the winter interval, Russell confirmed on the F1 75 Dwell occasion.
He added that he didn’t plan on smoothing issues over with Verstappen.
“I’ve bought no issues about him or his driving.
“That occurred final yr, and I need to concentrate on myself.
“Clearly issues, I felt, bought out of line final yr. I made it fairly clear that I am not going to take it.
“Now in 2025, I’m centered on the job. The job is to win.
“I will not change my strategy combating him or every other drivers. The purpose is identical.”
Verstappen was additionally requested at Tuesday’s F1 75 Dwell occasion about his relationship with Russell.
However he answered: “It is positive, all good.”
The row in Qatar occurred after Verstappen and Russell have been summoned to the stewards room, with the Pink Bull driver investigated for driving slowly.
Later, Verstappen insisted he “misplaced all respect” for Russell, including: “I’ve by no means seen somebody making an attempt to screw somebody over that arduous.”
Russell hit again saying: “Somebody wants to face as much as a bully like this.”
Russell v Verstappen II in 2025?
Inevitably Russell and Verstappen will race wheel-to-wheel sooner or later within the new season.
Russell’s declare that he is not going to again down in opposition to the aggressive Verstappen might trigger fireworks.
A lot will rely on the competitiveness of their Mercedes and Pink Bull machines.
These producers are anticipated to lag behind McLaren, and presumably Ferrari too, within the earliest levels of the F1 2025 season.
Russell is getting into barely new territory as Mercedes’ senior driver, after Lewis Hamilton’s exit and Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s arrival.
Verstappen, in the meantime, is gunning for a fifth F1 drivers’ title in a row but it surely is perhaps his hardest activity but as a result of competitiveness between the highest groups.
