Verstappen 'cannot deal with adversity' - Russell

George Russell says Max Verstappen "cannot woody pinch adversity" arsenic the Mercedes driver responded to the world champion's comments that he had "lost each respect" for him.

Verstappen was unhappy astir the domiciled Russell played successful the Red Bull driver being fixed a one-place penalty which demoted him from rod position astatine the Qatar Grand Prix past weekend.

Briton Russell said astatine the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix connected Thursday: "I don't cognize why he felt the request for this individual onslaught and I'm not going to return it.

"This is maine conscionable mounting the grounds straight, I americium not going to guidelines present and fto personification slam maine personally."

Russell said that aft they near the stewards' room successful Qatar aft qualifying, Verstappen swore while saying he would "purposefully spell retired of his measurement to clang into maine and put maine connected my caput successful the wall".

Russell added: "I knew that was a spur of the infinitesimal thing, but the adjacent day, we were joking astir a spot pinch (Sergio) Perez and Carlos (Sainz), I saw it successful his eyes that he meant it.

"He's a four-time champion. Lewis (Hamilton) is the champion I aspire to beryllium - difficult but fair; ne'er beyond the line. We person a work arsenic drivers.

"For a world champion to travel retired and opportunity he is going to spell retired of his measurement to clang into personification and put him connected his head, that is not the illustration we should beryllium setting."

In Qatar qualifying, the 2 drivers tangled astatine Turn 12, forcing Russell connected to the gravel.

Verstappen was penalised for driving unnecessarily slow and recovered to person been "well outside" the target clip required of drivers erstwhile not connected a flying lap.

The stewards sided pinch Russell's statement that Verstappen should not person been connected the racing statement if he was going slowly.

Afterwards, Verstappen said he "never expected personification to really effort and actively get personification a punishment that severely and lying astir why I was doing what I was doing".

On Thursday, Russell said he had not group retired to get Verstappen a penalty.

"There is thing to dishonesty about," Russell added. "He was going excessively slow, he was connected the racing statement and successful the high-speed corner. I wasn't trying to get him a penalty. I was conscionable trying to hole my thigh and you conflict difficult connected way and successful the stewards.

"The aforesaid measurement arsenic Max the very adjacent time asked his squad to look astatine Lando (Norris') punishment connected the yellowish flag. That's not personal. That's racing."

Russell added: "I don't cognize why this taxable has sewage him truthful angry. He cannot woody pinch adversity. I americium not questioning his expertise 1 bit. But the 2nd he does not person the fastest car, Budapest, he crashes into Lewis, slams his full squad and loses the plot."

Russell said "people person been bullied by Max for years now", and added: "He's been enabled because nobody's stood up to him.

"Lewis stood up to him successful '21 and lost that title unfairly. Can you ideate the roles being reversed and Max losing that title successful the measurement Lewis mislaid it? (Then title head Michael) Masi would beryllium fearing for his life."

He added: "I'm not looking for immoderate repercussion from this, I americium opinionated up for myself to a feline who is questioning my estimation and slamming maine successful the media."

In an different step, Mercedes F1 leader Toto Wolff attended Russell's news convention and criticised Red Bull squad main Christian Horner for calling Russell "hysterical", saying this "crossed a line".

Wolff said: "Why does he consciousness entitled to remark astir my driver? If you're reasoning astir it, yapping small terrier, ever thing to say.

"His forte is not intelligence psychoanalysis, but that's rather a word. How situation you remark connected the authorities of mind of my driver."

Verstappen said connected Thursday that he had "no regrets" astir his comments successful Qatar.

"I meant everything I said," Verstappen said. "And it's still the same. If I had to do it again, possibly I would've said moreover more, knowing the result of the title results. I still can't judge that personification tin beryllium for illustration that successful the stewards' room.

"For me, that was truthful unacceptable because, I mean, we're each racing drivers, we each person a batch of respect for each other, we moreover play sports together, you know, you recreation together, and of course, you person moments wherever you get together, you crash, you're not happy.

"In my full career, I've ne'er knowledgeable what I person knowledgeable successful the stewards' room successful Qatar. And for me, that was really unacceptable."