Helmut Marko has weighed in on the latest paddock drama (Image: Getty)
has instructed to ‘stick to the truth’ after the Brit launched into an incredible rant against ’s character ahead of the season-ending .
Russell was irked by Verstappen’s “personal” comments after the Qatar Grand Prix last weekend, where the four-time world champion stated that he had “lost all respect” for the British driver as a result of his actions in the stewards’ room after qualifying.
Telling his side of the story on Thursday, Russell alleged that the driver threatened to “put his head into the f***ing wall” during Sunday’s race in an altercation on their way out, and also revealed that Verstappen was allegedly ranting and swearing to the stewards before the man had put forward his case.
However, Verstappen denied as much, accusing Russell of ‘exaggerating’. “You don’t have to say everything that happened there,” the Dutchman said. “He tries to exaggerate it.” He went on to add: “Yes, he’s making things up. Yes, [things] that aren’t true.”
Marko has now jumped to his driver’s support. He told Sky Germany: “It has indeed blown up too much and it should actually stay among the drivers. But above all, one has to stick to the truth. I think this is basically maybe a discussion you should just have among yourselves.”
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Relations have frayed between George Russell and Max Verstappen (Image: Getty)
Verstappen also has the backing of team principal , who had no doubt that the 27-year-old’s version of events was the truthful one. “Max is a very straight shooter, he just tells you exactly how he sees it, he tells the truth exactly what he feels,” he told Sky Sports F1.
“A lot has been made of it. It’s pantomime season, we’re getting ready for Christmas, there’s maybe an element of end-of-term blues there, but I don’t think it’ll have any effect on the Grand Prix itself.”
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It wasn’t only Russell and Verstappen mired in the Abu Dhabi theatrics. Team principals Horner and also got caught up in the drama after the man took issue with his rival’s comments about the Brit.
“This is a thing between drivers, this is George and Max, and I don’t want to get involved in that,” Wolff said. “But if the other team principal calls George hysteric, this is when he crosses a line for me. He is not into intellectual psychoanalysis, but that is quite a word. How dare you comment on the state of mind of my driver.”