Max Verstappen has broken his silence after George Russell made several explosive claims about his behaviour and that of his Red Bull team before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Their ‘feud’ began at the Qatar Grand Prix, when Verstappen claimed he had ‘lost all respect‘ for Russell after an incident during qualifying led to the world champion receiving a one-place grid penalty.

The stewards deemed that Verstappen had driven excessively slowly on an outlap, with Russell, who called his move ‘super dangerous’ as he went past him at speed, joining him in the stewards’ room after the session.

Verstappen claims that the Brit ‘lied‘ to the stewards and ‘tried to force a penalty on me’, telling media in Abu Dhabi: “I found his behaviour really unacceptable.”

He also called the Mercedes driver a ‘loser’.

In response, Russell told written media that he believed Verstappen was a ‘bully‘, and claimed that the Dutchman said he would ‘purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and, quote, put me on my f***ing head’.

He also said: “He cannot deal with adversity, whenever anything has gone against him … for me, those comments on Saturday night and Sunday were totally disrespectful and unnecessary.”

At the annual F1 drivers’ end of season dinner on Thursday night, Russell and Verstappen were noticeably sat on different sides of the table – and Lando Norris jokingly confirmed on Instagram that ‘the two you’re thinking about were sat as far away from each other as possible’.

In the meantime, Verstappen was directly asked about Russell’s ‘crash’ claim, to which he flat out denied making such a statement in the stewards’ room.

He told media (via Planet F1): “That’s already wrong. I didn’t say that. He’s trying to flesh it out again.

“You know what I can stand either? That he accepts me in an unacceptable way at the stewards and then comes running back a day later as if nothing is wrong and slaps me on the shoulders.

“We have the last laugh because we won the race last week [in Qatar]. They start on pole position because of that nitpicking at the stewards, but 300 metres down the track, they were already behind.

“Everything he brings in has nothing to do with it. I was very relaxed at the stewards, already had the championship. But he had to be so dramatic to start first.”

Verstappen won the Qatar Grand Prix after overtaking Russell at the first corner, having avoided any contact.

He controlled the rest of the race despite heavy pressure from Norris, until the McLaren driver himself received a penalty for failing to slow under double waved yellow flags. He finished 10th.

Lando Norris’ message of congratulations to Max Verstappen after the Dutchman sealed his fourth Formula 1 world title has got fans talking.

Red Bull driver Verstappen ensured he has won four F1 Drivers’ Championships in a row after he finished ahead of McLaren’s Norris at this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix.

With a gap of now 63 points, Norris cannot catch Verstappen with two race weekends to go this season.

The F1 paddock travels to Qatar next weekend for what will also be the final sprint event of the season, before the now traditional end to the campaign in Abu Dhabi in early December.

Verstappen finished fifth in Las Vegas with Norris sixth, with Mercedes recording a one-two through George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, followed by Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

Though the Drivers’ Championship title is now settled, three teams remain in contention for the Constructors’ Championship in the form of McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull.

McLaren lead the constructors standings by 24 points from Ferrari, with Red Bull a further 29 points back in third.

Should McLaren or Ferrari triumph, it will be the first championship for either of these two historic teams for the first time since 2008, when Hamilton won the drivers’ title in a McLaren and Ferrari claimed the constructors’ crown.

Norris emerged as Verstappen’s closest challenger this season after the Dutchman’s early domination of this campaign, with the McLaren driver taking the maiden win of his career in Miami after a big upgrade package brought his car to a much more competitive level.

Further victories for Norris have followed in the Netherlands and Singapore as he began to narrow the gap to Verstappen, only for the Dutchman to win the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in treacherous wet conditions from 17th on the grid to underline his extraordinary abilities.

This was the first time Norris has been in a title battle while Verstappen is now a veteran of several, having won his first in 2021 in controversial circumstances ahead of Hamilton.

Attentions will soon focus to next season with relatively stable regulations promising a fantastic campaign in prospect with Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes potentially having a four-way title fight from the very start.

For now, Norris has congratulated Verstappen, who are friends off the track, with a message on Instagram accompanied by an old picture from when the pair were in go karts.

Norris wrote: “Congrats on the 4th title in a row mate, awesome drive this year. Was fun fighting you for it. Feels like yesterday we took this pic in karting.”

And fans have praised Norris for his classy message and some believe he will go one better next season.

One said: “2025 is the year of Lando.”

Another wrote: “What a pleasure it has been to watch you battle for your first.”

One fan posted: “And what a fight you gave!!!! Can’t wait to see more of it next year.”

Another responded: “And the day will come when Max will post this photo congratulating you on winning the Championship! Your fight was incredible! Extremely proud!”

And another wrote: “And to think you got your maiden win in the same season you were fighting for the championship.”