Overview
- In Notes from the Pit Lane, Ted Kravitz recounts Russell requesting extra questions before Abu Dhabi interviews, saying he would “give it back to Max” and call out “bullying tactics.”
- Kravitz describes checking for a Drive to Survive microphone and confirming Russell still wanted to escalate the dispute before proceeding with the extended exchange.
- The feud traces to Qatar qualifying, where Verstappen received a grid penalty after Russell took evasive action, and Verstappen later said he had lost respect for the Mercedes driver.
- Team bosses Christian Horner and Toto Wolff became involved in the Abu Dhabi fallout, and Kravitz writes that Russell later moved his seat away from Verstappen at the drivers’ dinner.
- Coverage notes the rivalry cooled over winter but resurfaced in 2025 with further flashpoints, including reported contact at the Spanish GP, as both drivers remain prominent in this season’s title fight.