© Finn Pomeroy for Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd.
After coming together with Max Verstappen on lap 1 of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sprint Race, George Russell says he’s “not gonna hold back just because [Max is] leading the championship”.
On lap 1 of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, George Russell and Max Verstappen were involved in a battle for P3, which led to a collision that damaged Max’s sidepod.
After the race, Max confronted George in parc ferme, but the Briton wasn’t interested in a discussion. This caused Verstappen to call him a “d**khead”.
Afterwards, George explained his side of the story.
“I mean I was down the inside, and I think as a driver you know the risks when you’re on the outside,“ Russell told Sky Sports F1.
“I’m here to fight, and I’m here to win. I’m not gonna hold back just because he’s leading the championship.
If you like SilverArrows.Net, consider supporting us by buying us a coffee!
“I was quite surprised he was still trying to hold it around the outside, it’s on a street circuit. He’s got a lot more to lose than I have.
“None of the contact was intentional, I was doing my best just to have a clean fight but, as I said, I was quite surprised that he was kind of resistant to position.
“I was on the inside, and nothing more to say than that really. I was surprised at why he was so angry to be honest, he still finished in P3.
“He’s got enough experience to know that if you’re trying to overtake a guy on the outside, there’s a risk that the guy on the inside is gonna run wide into you.
“I don’t think anything would have been any different had the positions been reversed,” the Briton concluded.
