F1’s most famous feuds run deeper than Max Verstappen and George Russell
With all eyes on Max Verstappen and George Russell after a tumultuous end to 2024, JULIAN LINDEN reflects on Formula One’s most famous feuds.
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Forget the looming heavyweight battle between McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari for the checkered flag at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, the juiciest stoush that everyone in Formula One is anxiously waiting to see erupt again is the unresolved feud between Max Verstappen and George Russell.
The pair fell out big time at the end of last year, initially on the track then off it as they unleashed a bitter war of words on each other, which left no one in any doubt that the animosity between them was real.
So far, they have been keeping a lid on their spat since arriving in Melbourne for the opening race of the 2025 season, with both men on their best behaviour and saying all the polite things expected of them.
But there’s also no sign of either man wanting to kiss and make up soon and with things expected to heat up when the lights go out and they hit the circuit, it only seems like a matter of time before the gloves come back off.
Mercedes driver Russell has already lit the fuse for another possible confrontation, telling the BBC last week that he had no intention of backing down to the combative Dutchman.
“I’m not there to be best mates with a world champion. I’m here to win,” Russell said.
“And that’s his mentality as well. There’s no love lost.
“I’ve never been scared to race against Max. I’ve always put up a fight.”
Verstappen hasn’t yet hit back at Russell’s latest verbal jab but isn’t known for his diplomacy.
A straight shooter who thrives on conflict, the four-time world champion was unimpressed when he was publicly ribbed about his squabble with his English rival at this year’s season launch in London.
He bit his lip that time but was far less cordial in late 2024, when he labelled Russell a “backstabber” and a “loser”.
Their tiff kicked off at the penultimate race in Qatar - held a week after Verstappen had clinched the championship - when Russell accused the Red Bull driver of blocking him by slowing down and driving dangerously in qualifying.
The race stewards sided with Russell, stripping Verstappen of pole position and promoting the Englishman to the front of the grid, prompting an angry response from the Dutchman.
“I’ve been in that meeting room many times in my life and my career with people that I’ve raced. And I’ve never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard. For me, I lost all respect.
“I just never expected someone to really try and actively get someone a penalty that badly and lying about why I was doing what I was doing. But clearly it had an influence on (the stewards).”-faced:
“He always does it very nicely here in front of the camera, but then when you’re inside with him in person, it’s just a different person. I can’t stand that and it’s actually better for him to f… off. I don’t want to get involved in this.”
At the following race in Abu Dhabi, Russell fired back, accusing Verstappen of making threats against him.
“I find it all quite ironic, considering Saturday night he said he’s going to purposely go out of his way to crash into me and, quote, ”put me on my f… head in the wall,“ Russell said.
“To question somebody’s integrity as a person, while saying comments like that the day before, I find it very ironic, and I’m not going to sit here and accept it.”
Verstappen denied Russell’s claims he threatened him, describing his rival as a “loser” and joking that he needs to bring some tissues.
The row spoiled over to the team’s principals, with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and Red Bull’s Christian Horner trading insults, then again at the end of season driver’s dinner when the pair elected not to sit next to each other when the other left two vacant chairs.
No one knows for certain when the next round of their stink will explode but when it does, one thing is for sure, it will be worth watching and will probably be wilder than the action of the race itself.
Of course, Verstappen and Russell are not the first drivers to fall out because Formula One is stacked with spectacular spats between rivals and teammates alike.
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Originally published as F1’s most famous feuds run deeper than Max Verstappen and George Russell
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