Daniel Ricciardo has some advice for George Russell (Image: Getty)
warned that taking on would be a ‘tough battle to win’ after the Brit launched into a furious rant about the four-time world champion at the season’s final race in Abu Dhabi.
Verstappen publicly slammed the man from King’s Lynn after the Qatar Grand Prix, calling Russell out for his actions in the stewards’ room after qualifying. The Brit hit back in extraordinary fashion ahead of the season finale at the Yas Marina Circuit.
“I find it all quite ironic seeing as Saturday night he said he was going to purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and ‘put me on my f***ing head in the wall,'” Russell said
“So to question somebody’s integrity as a person, while saying comments like that the day before, I find is very ironic, and I’m not going to sit here and accept it. People have been bullied by Max for years now, and you can’t question his driving abilities.
“But he cannot deal with adversity. Whenever anything has gone against him — Jeddah ’21, Brazil ’21 — he lashes out. Budapest this year, the very first race, the car wasn’t dominant, crashing into Lewis [and] slamming his team.
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Tensions are high between George Russell and Max Verstappen (Image: Getty)
“As I said, for me, those comments on Saturday night and Sunday were totally disrespectful and unnecessary. Because what happens on track, we fight hard, that’s part of racing. What happens in the stewards’ room, you fight hard, but it’s never personal. But he’s taken it too far now.”
According to Ricciardo however, Russell should choose his battles carefully. “It’s great television,” he told the Red Flags Podcast. “First time I’ve seen George angry.” Asked if it was a smart move, the Aussie continued: “Not at the moment. The kid [Verstappen] likes hitting his marks. I feel like it’s a tough battle to win.
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Russell isn’t the only driver with a “tough battle to win” against Verstappen in 2025. Liam Lawson will look to succeed where , , and couldn’t when he teams up with the Dutchman at next season.
The young New Zealander fought a tough fight with team-mate during a six-race stint at the end of the 2024 campaign and did enough to convince that he is the right man to partner Verstappen in 2025, despite having just 11 Grand Prix starts under his belt.