Furious F1 row erupts as Max Verstappen hits back at ‘loser’ and Toto Wolff slams ‘yappy’ rival
Max Verstappen would have had former F1 race director Michael Masi ‘fearing for his life’ if he lost the 2021 title like Lewis Hamilton did. That is the sensational claim from Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate George Russell, who has slammed the Dutchman’s behaviour. Lewis Hamilton will compete in his final race for Mercedes this weekendGetty During an explosive media session ahead of the F1 race finale in Abu Dhabi, Russell called four-time world champion Verstappen a ‘bully’. The Brit took exception to the reigning champion accusing him of ‘lying’ in the stewards’ room after their clash in Qatar last weekend. Former Williams driver Russell revealed that Verstappen threatened to ‘put me on my f***ing head in the wall.’ Asked whether that behaviour has been enabled by previous leniency from stewards, the 26-year-old replied: “He’s been enabled because nobody has stood up to him. “Lewis did in 2021 and Lewis lost that championship unfairly. Could you imagine if the roles had been reversed and Max losing that championship in the manner Lewis lost that championship? “[Michael] Masi would be fearing for his life.” Hamilton was infamously denied a record eighth F1 driver’s title that would have taken him past Michael Schumacher three years ago at the same Abu Dhabi venue. The seven-time world champion, who was level on points with Verstappen ahead of the race, was comfortably leading the final laps. However, an infamous late safety car call from Masi decided the championship in Verstappen’s favour on the final few corners. F1’s governing body, the FIA, later revealed that they had found ‘human error’ in Masi’s decision-making but the damage was done. The controversial decider was front page news worldwide, thanks to stewarding callsGetty Verstappen was allowed to stage a stunning final lap lunge and clinch the titleGetty The Australian was relieved of his duties as Formula 1 race director two months later and quit the sport entirely the following summer. “Was I robbed? Obviously,” Hamilton told GQ Sports in April. “I mean, you know the story. “But I think what was really beautiful in that moment, which I take away from it, was my dad was with me. And we’d gone through this huge roller coaster of life together, ups and downs.” Verstappen didn’t take Russell’s accusations lying down and delivered an explosive response of his own on the Mercedes man’s comments. He told Dutch outlet Telegraaf: “Yes, but George is a bully. That he brings all this stuff in. He’s just a loser. Masi later lost his job and has since quit F1 entirelyGetty “He lies and pastes all kinds of things together that are not true. “I only gave my opinion about his behaviour with the stewards. He’s clearly not into that. “What he said about 2021, that’s how it went down with the stewards. He insinuates a lot of things that don’t make sense.” Verstappen also took umbrage with Russell saying that he said he’d drive him into a wall. He added: “That’s not true, I didn’t say it like that. He’s trying to exaggerate it again. Do you know what else I can’t stand? “That he attacks me in an unacceptable way with the stewards and then comes back a day later as if nothing is wrong and slaps me on the shoulder. “Then I think: stay away for a while. He makes up all kinds of things that aren’t true.” Verstappen continued: “With me, you always get the same: here, at home, with the stewards; I don’t change. Russell and Verstappen have exchanged barbs through the mediaGetty “You can’t say that about everyone. But I’m not surprised by that with him.” Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff later escalated tensions between the drivers by labelling Red Bull’s Christian Horner a ‘yapping little terrier.’ The latter had made headlines of his own during his media session after Russell and Verstappen’s initial Qatar clash. Red Bull team principal Horner said: “Yesterday’s penalty was more based on hysterics from George, who has been quite hysterical this weekend.” However, Wolff, who has his own rivalry with Horner after sharing the last 13 F1 world titles, stepped in to defend Russell. “It’s just weak,” Wolff said. “At the end, why does he feel entitled to comment about my driver? How does that come? But thinking about it, I’ve spent 90 seconds to think about it… “Yapping little terrier. Always something to say.” Wolff added: “I think as a team principal, it’s important to be a sparring partner for your drivers. The story is no different for team bossesGetty “And that means explaining that things can be more nuanced. Statements that are absolutistic, taking everything is either right, 100 percent right or 100 percent wrong, is something I just think you need to explain, think of more nuance, depending from your perception and your perspective. You need to allow for something to be 51-49, you need to allow fo
Max Verstappen would have had former F1 race director Michael Masi ‘fearing for his life’ if he lost the 2021 title like Lewis Hamilton did.
That is the sensational claim from Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate George Russell, who has slammed the Dutchman’s behaviour.
During an explosive media session ahead of the F1 race finale in Abu Dhabi, Russell called four-time world champion Verstappen a ‘bully’.
The Brit took exception to the reigning champion accusing him of ‘lying’ in the stewards’ room after their clash in Qatar last weekend.
Former Williams driver Russell revealed that Verstappen threatened to ‘put me on my f***ing head in the wall.’
Asked whether that behaviour has been enabled by previous leniency from stewards, the 26-year-old replied: “He’s been enabled because nobody has stood up to him.
“Lewis did in 2021 and Lewis lost that championship unfairly. Could you imagine if the roles had been reversed and Max losing that championship in the manner Lewis lost that championship?
“[Michael] Masi would be fearing for his life.”
Hamilton was infamously denied a record eighth F1 driver’s title that would have taken him past Michael Schumacher three years ago at the same Abu Dhabi venue.
The seven-time world champion, who was level on points with Verstappen ahead of the race, was comfortably leading the final laps.
However, an infamous late safety car call from Masi decided the championship in Verstappen’s favour on the final few corners.
F1’s governing body, the FIA, later revealed that they had found ‘human error’ in Masi’s decision-making but the damage was done.
The Australian was relieved of his duties as Formula 1 race director two months later and quit the sport entirely the following summer.
“Was I robbed? Obviously,” Hamilton told GQ Sports in April. “I mean, you know the story.
“But I think what was really beautiful in that moment, which I take away from it, was my dad was with me. And we’d gone through this huge roller coaster of life together, ups and downs.”
Verstappen didn’t take Russell’s accusations lying down and delivered an explosive response of his own on the Mercedes man’s comments.
He told Dutch outlet Telegraaf: “Yes, but George is a bully. That he brings all this stuff in. He’s just a loser.
“He lies and pastes all kinds of things together that are not true.
“I only gave my opinion about his behaviour with the stewards. He’s clearly not into that.
“What he said about 2021, that’s how it went down with the stewards. He insinuates a lot of things that don’t make sense.”
Verstappen also took umbrage with Russell saying that he said he’d drive him into a wall.
He added: “That’s not true, I didn’t say it like that. He’s trying to exaggerate it again. Do you know what else I can’t stand?
“That he attacks me in an unacceptable way with the stewards and then comes back a day later as if nothing is wrong and slaps me on the shoulder.
“Then I think: stay away for a while. He makes up all kinds of things that aren’t true.”
Verstappen continued: “With me, you always get the same: here, at home, with the stewards; I don’t change.
“You can’t say that about everyone. But I’m not surprised by that with him.”
Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff later escalated tensions between the drivers by labelling Red Bull’s Christian Horner a ‘yapping little terrier.’
The latter had made headlines of his own during his media session after Russell and Verstappen’s initial Qatar clash.
Red Bull team principal Horner said: “Yesterday’s penalty was more based on hysterics from George, who has been quite hysterical this weekend.”
However, Wolff, who has his own rivalry with Horner after sharing the last 13 F1 world titles, stepped in to defend Russell.
“It’s just weak,” Wolff said. “At the end, why does he feel entitled to comment about my driver? How does that come? But thinking about it, I’ve spent 90 seconds to think about it…
“Yapping little terrier. Always something to say.”
Wolff added: “I think as a team principal, it’s important to be a sparring partner for your drivers.
“And that means explaining that things can be more nuanced. Statements that are absolutistic, taking everything is either right, 100 percent right or 100 percent wrong, is something I just think you need to explain, think of more nuance, depending from your perception and your perspective. You need to allow for something to be 51-49, you need to allow for it to be 70-30. There is always another side.
“Maybe when you look at it that way, and you explain it to the drivers and to your team, you come to the conclusion that there is truth on both sides. If you don’t do that, you’re falling short of your role.”
Wolff also confirmed Horner’s comments on Russell were the reason he took the unusual step of accompanying his driver to the media session.
“I tell you clearly,” he added. “There is a thing between drivers, and this is George and Max, and I don’t want to get involved in that, but if the other team principal calls George hysterical, this is where he crosses a line for me.
“Now, his forte for sure is not intellectual psychoanalysis, but that’s quite a word. How dare you comment on the state of mind of my driver.”
