The Russell vs Verstappen spat isn’t over and that’s good for F1 2025

It was rather unexpected.

George Russell, atop the sun-soaked Mercedes hospitality/engineering building in the Abu Dhabi paddock ahead of the 2024 season finale, about to unleash 15 minutes just savaging Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

Russell’s agitation even shone through his dark-tinted sunglasses. This clearly wasn’t a path he found comfortable, and there were awkward missteps in his explanations, but this is one he was determined to plunge along.

“People have been bullied by Max for years now,” was the central thrust of Russell’s argument, after the pair had been at the centre of a stewards’ room spat after Qatar GP qualifying the previous weekend that had knocked on into the post-race chats too.

“You can’t question his driving abilities. But he cannot deal with adversity. Whenever anything has gone against him – Jeddah 2021, Brazil 2021 – he lashes out. Budapest [2024], the very first race the car wasn’t dominant, crashing into Lewis, slamming his team.

“For me, those comments 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.”

You’ll no doubt recall what happened next.

Toto Wolff made a rare co-appearance at Russell’s side to call Christian Horner a “yapping little terrier” at another media briefing. Horner delivered his own well-prepared press conference response: “I’d rather be a terrier than a wolf”. The social media-frenzy-feeding stories about the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association seating plans.

But the saga seemed to conclude with the GPDA presenting a ‘Class of 2024’ picture with the pair side-by-side, front and centre. After all, all its members have a vested interest in staying united enough to oppose the preposterous ongoing clampdown on their expressions currently being enacted by the FIA.

However, the reality is that this isn’t over.

Russell remains determined to stand up to Verstappen at every available opportunity. He might’ve mellowed in time in terms of strength of feeling as that late-season sun and heat was replaced by European winter training cold, but Autosport understands his will is still resolute. And just ask Sergio Perez how fast Verstappen lets things go, with Brazil 2022 in mind.

Hamilton’s approach from Silverstone onwards in 2021 established the blueprint for the level it takes to really fight Verstappen, as he did in Abu Dhabi, Russell reveals he’s already taken those lessons onboard

But this is good, ultimately, for all parties.

First, Verstappen. The world champion just loves a fight – it’s for that exact reason that when I asked him to rank a selection of his first 50 F1 wins at the 2023 Mexico race that he chose Austin 2021 and that almighty chase with Lewis Hamilton. And not one of his field-destroying drives in, say, Austria. He really can rise to the occasion in so many scenarios.

Verstappen will also feel this is just another crack of weakness in a rival that can potentially be exploited one day. After all, even cynical moves such as those he deployed against Lando Norris take an incredible amount of racing skill to get right. And Russell might not be able to match Verstappen in such regards.

For Mercedes, the situation is reversed. Here we have Russell having already acted as a vocal leader ahead of Hamilton leaving for Ferrari and now he’s determined to carry on the fight.

Hamilton and Verstappen battled dramatically for the 2021 title, in which the Red Bull man won his first of four crowns on the final day

Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images

It’s beneficial on multiple levels too. As well as showing Russell has got his team leadership roots set in, chatter elsewhere allows the F1 interest spotlight to shine at least somewhat less intensely on Andrea Kimi Antonelli, as the young Italian gets up to speed across the other side of the Silver Arrows garage.

And maybe this all gives Russell a title tilt edge too.

In agreeing “yeah, Lewis didn’t back down” when it was suggested Hamilton’s approach from Silverstone onwards in 2021 established the blueprint for the level it takes to really fight Verstappen, as he did in Abu Dhabi, Russell reveals he’s already taken those lessons onboard. This is music to many an ear within Mercedes…

Then there’s F1 as a promoter, its independent media outlets and wonderfully engaged fans following along too. The whole mix loves such dust ups. In an age where drivers are overall very friendly, it’s refreshing and appealing to witness every bit of needle possible.

Want the gladiator reputation? Well, be prepared to wield even the metaphorical sword and we’ll do the rest with the pen (laptop).

As Russell’s tactical broadside was unfolding, it was instantly clear that this was going to be an off-season story to saviour.

He easily could’ve quietly fulminated on the issue in his Monaco apartment – decorated with the helmets of his F1 race wins, including the lost one at Spa, we learned last year – as December turned to January and grand prix racing’s (much reduced) hibernation unfurled.

But in speaking out when he did, Russell not only eased the publishing schedule for columnist snark, but he also made F1 2025 even more eagerly anticipated.

People are already expecting a season that at least matches 2021 in terms of battle being joined by two drivers/teams for an entire campaign – for the first time since that year of years.

The 2025 season looks set to be a classic after four teams – Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes – all won multiple grands prix in 2024

Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

That three teams including Russell’s Mercedes squad could have the potential to fully topple Verstappen and Red Bull this time means, right now, 2025 could well end up being even better.

And finally, stoking the fire with Verstappen is good for Russell in other ways, too.

For some, it burnishes an image he is trying very hard to establish – that of F1 difference maker.

He’s a GPDA director because he wants to be viewed in the mould of improving things for drivers a la Jackie Stewart and safety back in the day. And here, he’s standing up for what he views as the moral way forward.

If Verstappen’s “sometimes you have to cross a line” to show “the world champion mentality” attitude is right…judging by Russell’s own words he seems set to deploy that in 2025 as well

On a purely racing front, the ferocity of his words suggest he’ll give as good as he gets with Verstappen in 2025. As Norris had worked out in Mexico last year, and Oscar Piastri showed at the first corner in Abu Dhabi too, fighting fire with fire, is what it takes to defeat the Dutchman.

He’ll crack under the right amount of pressure. But that is the case for his peers – including Russell – too. And while some may savour no-holds-barred racing, it is anathema to others. Motorsport is a broach church, after all.

And first of all, Mercedes must solve its remaining car issues to ensure it and Russell are in the predicted congested fight in the first place.

But if Verstappen’s “sometimes you have to cross a line” to show “the world champion mentality” attitude is right (it really isn’t, as so many past F1 champions have proven), judging by Russell’s own words he seems set to deploy that in 2025 as well.

Swords drawn, keyboards ready…

How many times will Verstappen and Russell collide in 2025, a pair who also clashed at the 2023 Azerbaijan GP?

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images