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Verstappen on lying Russell: 'He's stabs you in the back'
Max Verstappen and George Russell were the highlight of the media day in Abu Dhabi. While George Russell had direct support during his paddock interview from Mercedes team boss, Toto Wolff, Verstappen spoke independently to the Dutch press.
''That's already not right,'' Verstappen responded immediately when confronted with George Russell's statements. According to the Briton, Verstappen threatened to put his head in the wall and stated it was Verstappen who was cursing already for the first few minutes at the Stewards' meeting in Qatar following their Qualifying clash. ''No, not at all'', said Verstappen at the table in front of the hospitality in Abu Dhabi.
According to the 4 time World Champion, Russell is doing the very same thing he did at the Stewards' briefing, now in Abu Dhabi. In other words, the Mercedes driver is putting up a story with a lot of emotion, but with very little truth to it. ''Things like that don't surprise me. Look, I just clearly stated my opinion about how he is. Of course he does not like that, but that's the same as what he did with the stewards. Lying and putting things together that don't make sense'.'
To British media, Russell went as far as to call Verstappen a bully, however, the Dutchman can only laugh at those remarks: ''Yes, and he's a backstabber. You shouldn't talk too much about people like that, because they're just losers".
Verstappen lashes out at Russell
Where Russell accused Verstappen and Horner of personally attacking him, current 4 time World Champion knows he got the best of them in the end: ''We laugh last, because we won that race in the end. They started on pole because of that nitpicking at the stewards, but three hundred metres later they are behind me again".
Russell was not emotional at the stewards, according to Verstappen, but going forward he knows exactly what to do in the future: ''I'll take my tissues to the stewards next time,'' joked the Red Bull driver, who added he didn't find it necessary to receive that type of support from his team boss. ''I don't need that, I can articulate just fine by myself".
''You don't necessarily have to say everything that happened. He then tries to make it worse then it was, which I can't stand then either. How he then attacks me at the stewards. And then the day after he arrives nice and happy, like, hey. Yeah then you better stay away for a while", closed Verstappen.