Drivers pranked Russell with Verstappen: "What the f**k do I do now?"
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On the Thursday prior to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton hosted the annual driver's end of year dinner at Yas Island, as it's been customary now for several years. Max Verstappen and George Russell, who were reportedly at odds with each other at the time - and still seem to be - were also present. Eddie Jordan has now revealed what really went on during the dinner party between the Dutchman and the Briton.
In the Formula for Success podcast, Jordan sheds light on what transpired on Thursday night at Abu Dhabi: "The driver's who'd arrived [at the dinner party], Mercedes' were late, so the drivers decided that they'd have their dinner, as they normally do, and they'd play a little game on George, because they knew he'd be late. So they all took their seats with one empty seat beside Max."
Russell muscled in beside Hamilton to avoid sittin with Verstappen
The 76 year old Irishman continued, "When George came in, he realized that he'd been gazumped and George, not feeling the moment for jocular activities, decided, 'oh, this is embarrassing. What the fuck do I do now?' And what does he do? He goes when there was a great opportunity to sit down and say, 'listen Max, let's get over this it's too much,' and no he picks the chair up and he walks with the chair all the way around the table, remember that there was 20 something drivers there, and goes and barges his way and muscles in beside Lewis."
Jordan himself would have handled it differently. "Now I think that was an opportunity missed, and I would say, reach out to George, 'George, Max, for Christ's sake we don't need this. Go and shake hands, have a pint together, laugh about it and let's move on'," concludes the former Formula One team owner.