Max Verstappen and George Russell’s heated exchange has escalated ahead of the conclusion of the Formula One season in Abu Dhabi after the Mercedes driver accused the world champion of threatening to “put my f***ing head in the wall.”
The Dutch driver was left furious at the Qatar Grand Prix during qualifying after being handed a one-place demotion for blocking Russell.
Verstappen hit out at Russell for “lying,” but the Briton has responded by revealing an angry threat from the four-time world champion in the aftermath of the incident. The world champion then responded by calling Russell a “loser and a backstabber”.
Elsewhere in Abu Dhabi, Lewis Hamilton has spoken ahead of his final race of his Mercedes career before moving to Ferrari next year, admitting he has “struggled at handling emotions” in his final year with the Silver Arrows.
Follow all the latest updates and build-up to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix below:
Latest F1 News
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix concludes 2024 F1 season on Sunday at 1pm GMT
- George Russell reveals Max Verstappen threat to ‘put my f***ing head in the wall’ as war of words escalates
- Who could replace Sergio Perez in 2025 F1 seat at Red Bull?
- Valtteri Bottas on F1 swansong: ‘This year has been the toughest of rides’
- Hamilton reflects on ‘very emotional year’ ahead of final F1 race for Mercedes
Max Verstappen hits back at George Russell as row escalates: ‘He is a loser and a backstabber’
16:09 , Jamie BraidwoodMax Verstappen called George Russell a “loser” and a “backstabber” in response to being labelled “bully” as the argument between the pair continued to escalate ahead of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Earlier in the day, Russell claimed Verstappen threatened to “put my f***ing head in the wall” during an heated exchange in the stewards room at last weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix.
When those comments were put to the four-time world champion, Verstappen replied: “That’s not true. I didn’t say it like that. He’s exaggerating again.”
Max Verstappen hits back at George Russell as row escalates: ‘He is a loser’
Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina – in numbers
16:01 , Lawrence OstlereLap distance: 5.281km. Total distance: 306.183km (58 laps)
2023 pole position: Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull, one minute 23.445 seconds
2023 winner: Verstappen
Race lap record: Verstappen 1:26.103, Red Bull 2021. (The circuit was modified after the 2020 race)
Toto Wolff calls Christian Horner a 'yapping little terrier’
15:35 , Luke BakerNot content with George Russell’s comments grabbing the headlines today, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has got in on the act and branded Red Bull boss Christian Horner a “yapping little terrier”.
Horner had called Russell “hysterical” for his conduct in the stewards’ room to try and get Max Verstappen penalised in Qatar and Wolf wasn’t taking that comment about one of his drivers lying down.
“As a team principal, it’s important to be a sparring partner for your drivers and that means explaining that things can be more nuanced,” explained Wolff. “Thinking that something is either 100 per cent right or wrong, is just something you need to explain from your perception and perspective.
“You need to allow some things to be 51-49 or 70-30. There’s always another side and maybe you look at it that way, you explain it to the drivers and team – there’s truth on both sides. If you don’t do that, you’re falling short of your role.
“It’s just weak.vJust weak. How can he feel entitled to comment about my driver? Having spent 90 seconds to think about it, yapping little terrier. Always something to say.
“There is a thing between drivers, this is George and Max, I don’t want to get involved but if the other team principal calls George hysteric, this is where he crosses a line for me. He is definitely not an intellectual in psychoanalysis but it’s quite a word to use. How dare you comment on the state of mind of my driver?”
Verstappen's Dutch GP to drop off F1 calendar after 2026
15:12 , Lawrence OstlereQuadruple world champion Max Verstappen’s home Dutch Grand Prix will drop off the calendar after 2026, Formula One announced on Wednesday.
A one-year extension has been agreed with the local promoter for 2026, with the race at Zandvoort to be held in the sprint format for the first time, the Liberty Media-owned sport said in a statement.
The seaside race at an ‘old school’ circuit has become a raucous sold-out party for Verstappen’s Orange Army of fans accustomed to cheering the Red Bull driver on to yet another victory.
Verstappen, who secured his fourth successive title in Las Vegas last month, was beaten into second place at Zandvoort this year by McLaren’s Lando Norris.
That was the first time since the race returned to the calendar in 2021, after a 36-year absence, that Verstappen had not triumphed at Zandvoort.
“I am incredibly grateful for the work that the team at the Dutch Grand Prix have done in recent years,” said Formula One Chief Executive Stefano Domenicali, who said the race had raised the bar in Europe for spectacle and entertainment.
“All parties positively collaborated to find a solution to extend the race, with many options, including alternation or annual events on the table, and we respect the decision from the promoter to finish its amazing run in 2026.”
Toto Wolff takes swipe at Christian Horner: ‘He’s a yapping little terrier’
14:50 , Jack RathbornToto Wolff has taken a swipe at Christian Horner for his part in the bitter feud between George Russell and Max Verstappen, labelling the Red Bull Team Prinicipal “a yappy little terrier”.
The two drivers have resumed their war of words following the Qatar Grand Prix and the controversial dispute during qualifying.
Verstappen was demoted from pole position for blocking Russell, though the four-time world champion would eventually win the race.
Horner accused Russell of being “hysterical” in his bid to land Verstappen with a penalty, and now Wolff has hit back against his old rival.
”As a team principal, it’s important to be a sparring partner for your drivers and that means explaining that things can be more nuanced,” Wolff said in Abu Dhabi.
Toto Wolff takes swipe at Christian Horner: ‘He’s a yapping little terrier’
Pulling needs to win F1 Academy title for second time in a week
14:35 , Lawrence OstlereBritain’s Abbi Pulling will need to win the F1 Academy title for the second time in a week after organisers declared her the champion last Saturday and then left her a point short by adding an additional race in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
The Alpine driver took an 83-point lead with 82 points remaining in Qatar after the second race there was cancelled due to barrier repairs taking up the time available.
Adding a third race to the two already scheduled for Abu Dhabi means there are now 84 points to be won -- 25 for a win, two for pole and one for fastest lap -- and Pulling is not yet champion mathematically.
Organisers confirmed two points would be awarded for each pole in the three races.
Mercedes’ French driver Doriane Pin -- Pulling’s closest rival -- was awarded two points for pole in the Qatar race that was not held and retains them.
Formula One teams each nominate a driver and have their livery on a car in the Academy, a series on the Formula One support programme aimed at helping female racers climb the ladder.
The last woman to start a Formula One grand prix was the late Italian Lella Lombardi in 1976.
George Russell: ‘I could see in Verstappen’s eyes that he meant it when he threatened me’
14:08 , Luke BakerIt’s fair to say the comments that have emerged from George Russell and Toto Wolff’s media availability today on the Max Verstappen situation have been explosive...
Russell made it abundantly clear that he believes Verstappen meant it when he threatened to put Russell’s “ f***ing head in the wall” and says he doesn’t remotely compated to Lewis Hamilton as a champion.
“I’ve known Max for a long time, I know what he’s capable of,” explained Russell. “He said to me he’s purposefully going to go out his way, crash into me and put my f*****g head in the wall.
“I knew that was a heat of the moment thing but when I went to see him at the drivers parade, when Carlos and Checo were there and we were joking around, I saw it in his eyes that he means it.
“He’s a four-time champion, when I compare his actions to the ones of Lewis [Hamilton]. Lewis is the sort of world champion I aspire to be like, the way he fought Max in 2021, very hard and fair, but never beyond the line.
“We’ve also got a duty as drivers, I’ve got an eight-year-old nephew whose just started go-karting, watches all my races, watches TikTok and YouTube. For a world champion to be coming out to say he’s going to go out of his way to come out and put me on my effing head, that is not the sort of role models we should be.”
George Russell v Max Verstappen
13:45 , Luke BakerThe George Russell vs Max Verstappen rivalry continues to heat up with both men firing shots in the war of words
Ferrari not concerned by Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes struggles
13:16 , Lawrence OstlereHamilton finished second in a Mercedes one-two with winner George Russell, who started on pole position, in Las Vegas on 24 November.
Hamilton collected two penalties on Sunday – a five second one for a false start and the other a drive-through for speeding in the pit lane – as well as a puncture.
At one point, clearly fed up, he sought to retire the car but his race engineer refused the request because the drive-through penalty would have been carried over to Abu Dhabi if left unserved.
The Briton, who turns 40 in January, has been out-qualified 18-5 by Russell this season and 5-1 in the sprints but has also won two grands prix.
“I know I’ve still got it,” Hamilton said on Saturday. “It’s just the car won’t go faster. But I definitely know I’ve got it. It is not a question in my mind.”
Ferrari not concerned by Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes struggles
12:55 , Lawrence OstlereLewis Hamilton’s struggles at Mercedes are not giving his future employers Ferrari any concern, according to team boss Fred Vasseur.
The seven-times Formula One world champion finished only 12th in Qatar on Sunday, the 39-year-old Briton’s last race before his farewell to Mercedes in the Abu Dhabi season-ender next weekend.
He also finished 10th in Brazil last month, and 11th in the Saturday sprint there.
Asked after the race at Lusail if he was worried about Hamilton’s form going into next year, Ferrari’s Vasseur replied: “Not at all.
“I have a look at the 50 laps that he did in Vegas, starting in P10 (10th place), finishing on the gearbox of Russell, I’m not worried at all.”
George Russell reveals Max Verstappen threat to ‘put my f***ing head in the wall’
12:45 , Kieran JacksonGeorge Russell has revealed Max Verstappen threatened to “put my f***ing head in the wall” as their war of words escalated ahead of the final race of the Formula One season.
The Mercedes driver accused the Red Bull star of deliberately pushing to crash into him during the Qatar Grand Prix.
The Dutch driver missed out on pole position a week ago after being sent to the stewards for blocking Russell during qualifying, with both men sent to discuss the moment. Verstappen ended up with a one-place grid penalty to drop down one spot and hand Russell pole position, though the four-time world champion would still win the race.
Following the incident, Verstappen said that he had "lost all respect" for the Mercedes driver and behaving differently in front of the cameras to behind the scenes, telling Dutch television: "You know what it is? He acts decent in front of the camera here, but when you talk to him personally, he is a different person ... I can't stand that. In that case you can better f*** off."
But Russell hit back on Thursday, stating: “I find it all quite ironic seeing as Saturday night he said he was going to purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and ‘Put me on my f***ing head in the wall’.
Read the full story below:
George Russell reveals extraordinary Max Verstappen threat to ‘put me in the wall’
Ocon says Alpine exit 'not how I wanted things to end'
12:24 , Lawrence OstlereEsteban Ocon said his departure from Alpine ahead of Formula One’s Abu Dhabi season-ender this weekend was not how he had wanted his time at the Renault-owned team to end.
Alpine have replaced the Frenchman with Australian reserve Jack Doohan who will be making his race debut at Yas Marina on Sunday.
Ocon is joining Haas next season and the switch was presented by Alpine as freeing Ocon to test for the U.S.-owned team next week.
“To the hundreds of hard-working men and women at Enstone and Viry, I apologise that I will not be able to come see you in person and have a proper farewell,” the Frenchman said on Instagram, recognising it had not been an easy year.
“As you know, the plan was always to race one last time this weekend and personally say goodbye to you all next week. I was looking forward to both of those things.
“This is not how I wanted things to end. That said, the world of F1 is small and I am sure I will see many of you again soon.
“I would also like to wish nothing but great things to my friend Jack as he takes this next big step in his career at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”
Alpine are fighting for sixth place in the championship, the team five points clear of Haas.
Verstappen accuses Russell of ‘lying’ to F1 stewards as heated row escalates
11:49 , Lawrence OstlereMax Verstappen has accused George Russell of “lying” to the stewards in Qatar after the pair had a heated exchange following an incident on track:
Max Verstappen accuses George Russell of ‘lying’ to F1 stewards as row escalates
F1 driver press conference: Max Verstappen on Sergio Perez’s Red Bull struggles
11:45 , Lawrence Ostlere“It’s very difficult to pinpoint [why Perez has been so far behind]. Our car has not been the easiest to drive, even more so for Checo for his driving style. When others are closing up, every little detail makes a difference to where you end up, where you qualify. It’s difficult to comment for him on the way things have gone, but I can tell you that the car has been all over the shop. For sure that didn’t help Checo in general.
“He’s always been a great team player, I’ve always enjoyed working with him at every grand prix. There’s nothing negative to say about him, we get on super well. Of course it’s not nice when he’s struggling to get results.”
F1 driver press conference: Max Verstappen on Dutch GP
11:40 , Lawrence OstlereVerstappen reacts to the news that the Dutch Grand Prix will be no more after 2026: “Of course, it’s something that I’m sad about. On the other hand, I’m very proud of what they have done. When I started in Formula One, I would never have imagined that we would go back to Zandvoort. I’m very excited for the last two races. They said they want to go out with the bang so I’m very excited to see that.”
Hamilton reflects on ‘very emotional year’ ahead of final F1 race for Mercedes
11:28 , Lawrence OstlereLewis Hamilton has spoken to the media ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he will take to the start line for the last time in Mercedes colours:
Lewis Hamilton reflects on ‘very emotional year’ ahead of final F1 race for Mercedes
F1 driver press conference: Lewis Hamilton on Zandvoort axing
11:23 , Lawrence OstlereHamilton is asked about the news that the Dutch Grand Prix will be cut from the calendar after 2026 after failing to match the increasing costs demanded by the sport’s authorities to host – with the emergence of Saudi Arabia and other new venues able to pay substantial figures to stage a grand prix.
“I’m very sad to lose Zandvoort. The fans make the sport what it is and they are always amazing there, whereas there are some other races – I’m not going to name them but you know which they are – where lots of fans don’t come out to watch, but financially they can cover whatever the cost is. The business of the sport is doing very, very well, and I think we’ve got to make sure we hold on to the heritage races, and Zandvoort is one of those.”
F1 driver press conference: Lewis Hamilton speaks
11:13 , Lawrence OstlereHamilton on his emotions leaving Mercedes: “The briefings that we’ve had this week, you think these are the last moments with the team, it’s not the greatest [feeling]. Mostly, I’m proud of what we’ve achieved.”
His abiding memory? “The smiles, when we’ve had the success. One engineer, our first win in Australia 2014, I remember him being in tears when we’re on the podium. The emotions we had at Silverstone this year. It’s all the good bits. I’m incredibly proud and so grateful to every individual both here at the track and back at the factory, who’ve worked tirelessly.”
Compare to leaving McLaren? “I don’t really remember the final days [at McLaren]. It definitely wasn’t as painful and difficult as this year has been. This one’s much more emotional because I’ve been with the team so long and we’ve been through so much together.”
F1 driver press conference: Carlos Sainz speaks
11:08 , Lawrence OstlereSainz on his final race with Ferrari before Williams switch: “This weekend is going to be quite emotional, quite intense. Not only because it’s the last weekend but because of what’s at stake with the constructors’ title. It’s been a tough year but I have to be proud of how I’ve handled everything.
“It would mean everything to say goodbye to the team I’ve given everything over the last four years, to win the constructors’ title would be the perfect goodbye. It’s a long shot to recover those 21 points, it requires perfection from our side, so it’s still going to be difficult but we’re going to give it our best shot.”
On who will be strongest this weekend: “I think it’s very tight not only between Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull, we’re all within a couple of tenths of each other. It’s so tight across the first four teams that you cannot pick one before the weekend.”
Leclerc and Leclerc in F1 practice first at Ferrari
11:01 , Lawrence OstlereArthur Leclerc raced in Formula Two last season and is currently a Ferrari development driver, supporting the team in the simulator at Maranello while also racing in the Italian GT championship.
Brothers have raced each other in Formula One, notably grand prix winners Michael and Ralf Schumacher, but not with the same team.
Mexicans Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez did both race for Ferrari, but not at the same time.
Ferrari are challenging leaders McLaren for the constructors’ championship, with 21 points between them.
Sainz is leaving after Sunday’s race to make way for seven times world champion Lewis Hamilton.
Leclerc and Leclerc in F1 practice first at Ferrari
10:46 , Lawrence OstlereCharles and Arthur Leclerc will be the first brothers to drive in a Formula One session as team mates when they turn out for Ferrari in opening practice at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Friday.
Ferrari posted a picture on X on Wednesday showing the brothers together in matching overalls with the caption ‘history makers’.
Arthur, 24, will take the place of departing Spaniard Carlos Sainz alongside Charles, 27, at Yas Marina to fulfil the team’s young driver commitments.
Britain’s Oliver Bearman, the team’s reserve, is ineligible as he has already taken part in three races this season with Ferrari and Haas.
Bearman took Charles Leclerc’s car in practice in Mexico and then replaced unwell Kevin Magnussen at Haas in the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Formula 1 axe Dutch Grand Prix in blow to Max Verstappen
10:20 , Jack RathbornMax Verstappen will race in front of home fans for the final time in 2026 with the Dutch Grand Prix set to drop off the calendar.
Organisers of the race at Zandvoort have agreed a one-year extension with Formula 1 through the end of the 2026 season, after which the race will no longer be held.
The Netherlands returned as an F1 destination after a 35-year hiatus in 2021, the year of Verstappen’s first world title, and has proved a popular spot.
The Red Bull driver, who has sewn up a fourth consecutive crown ahead of the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, has enjoyed vibrant support at a track where he has won three times.
Dutch Grand Prix to exit Formula 1 calendar in blow to Max Verstappen
F1 prize money: How much do teams earn for 2024 season?
10:10 , Jack RathbornThe final race of the 2024 Formula One season is here with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this Sunday.
And while Max Verstappen has clinched a fourth successive drivers’ crown and enters the finale on a high after another victory in Qatar, the constructors’ title is still up for grabs with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri looking to hold on for McLaren against Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari.
It would be a fitting end to Sainz’s time with the Scuderia, as he prepares to depart with Lewis Hamilton signed as his replacement, despite worrying signs surrounding the Briton’s form.
While Norris can banish any lingering disappointment from his title race battle with Verstappen by leading the papaya to a first team title in 26 years.
Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and every F1 driver ranked ahead of 2024 finale
10:00 , Jack RathbornAs the 2024 Formula One season draws to a close, this weekend’s season finale in Abu Dhabi brings into focus the last nine months of thrilling, dramatic and sometimes contentious wheel-to-wheel racing.
From a 2023 campaign where Red Bull won every race bar one, this year has seen seven different winners – with multiple victories – and a genuine fight at the top of both championships.
Max Verstappen masterfully claimed his fourth-straight drivers’ title while McLaren are the frontrunners as they look to claim the constructors’ championship ahead of Ferrari.
But who has overperformed and which drivers have not been up to the task?
Now, ahead of the 24th and final race, The Independent grades all 23 drivers to have taken part in more than one F1 race this year, in order of the current constructors’ standings.
Every F1 driver ranked and rated ahead of 2024 season finale in Abu Dhabi
Valtteri Bottas on F1 swansong: ‘This year has been the toughest of rides’
09:55 , Jack Rathbornot for the first time, Valtteri Bottas is playing it cool. Frankly, when has Valtteri Bottas not played it cool? A new and improved figure of exuberance away from the racetrack – more on that later – the 35-year-old racer is on the verge of his final furlong this weekend. And while he is not bowing out strictly on his own terms, he has the aura of a person departing the sport he cherishes – the only pastime he’s ever known – without any sense of bitterness or resentment.
In the “piranha club” whirlpool of the Formula One paddock, that in itself is admirable. Yet he opts not to delve too deeply into the psychoanalysis of himself. Instead, his new life outlook is refreshingly simple.
“I’ve just been able to take the piss out of myself,” he tells The Independent, in the Stake F1 Team (Sauber) hospitality unit.
As Lewis Hamilton’s 12-year stint at Mercedes concludes this weekend spare a thought for Bottas – Hamilton’s favourite ever teammate – at the other end of the pit lane. A teammate who aided Hamilton’s glory years with examples of self-sacrifice rarely seen in F1. A teammate who, with five constructors’ titles to his name, has his own pride of place in Toto Wolff’s hybrid-era juggernaut.
Valtteri Bottas on F1 swansong: ‘This year has been the toughest of rides’
F1 news: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
09:45 , Jack Rathborn
F1 news: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
09:36 , Jack RathbornOur F1 Correspondent Kieran Jackson is in Abu Dhabi for the final race of the season:
The paddock at the moment? A quiet hum.
A lot of team personnel outside their hospitality units having lunch, while the crew for the F1 film released next year have just waltzed through the paddock. This is the last race Brad Pitt and Co will film at.
We’re expecting Lewis Hamilton in just under an hour, alongside the man he replaces at Ferrari next year Carlos Sainz, and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Max Verstappen ‘lost all respect’ for George Russell after controversial F1 incident
09:30 , Jack RathbornMax Verstappen told George Russell to “f*** off” after the pair clashed in the stewards’ room after qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix.
Verstappen qualified on pole but after a lengthy deliberation involving both drivers, the stewards gave the 2024 F1 world champion a one-place grid penalty for impeding Russell on a warm-up lap in the final phase of qualifying.
It meant Russell started on pole position and even though Verstappen eventually won the race comfortably, with Mercedes driver Russell finishing fourth, the Dutchman was livid and accused the British driver of trying to “screw him over hard” in the stewards room.
Max Verstappen ‘lost all respect’ for George Russell after controversial F1 incident
Who will replace Sergio Perez in 2025 F1 seat at Red Bull?
09:08 , Jack RathbornSergio Perez looks set to be on the way out from Formula One and Red Bull after a torrid 2024 campaign.
Various reports after Sunday’s race in Qatar state that Red Bull are set to move on from the 34-year-old after the season finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend, despite a contract which lasts until the end of the 2025 F1 season.
The Mexican’s seat has been shrouded in uncertainty for some time, as he languishes 277 points behind teammate Max Verstappen in the standings with one grand prix remaining. His poor form means Red Bull are guaranteed to finish third in the constructors’ championship, despite Verstappen’s drivers’ title triumph.
Lewis Hamilton’s three-word admission that gives Ferrari a huge problem
08:49 , Jack RathbornSo often a figure of hope and optimism, it has been tough listening to Lewis Hamilton’s outright despondency on the airwaves in recent weeks. In many ways, stretching back to the Brazilian Grand Prix at the start of November, it has been a month which has been a stark microcosm of his final three years at Mercedes.
First, there was the hopelessness. At one of his favourite tracks, Interlagos in Sao Paulo, Hamilton was in no man’s land at the back of the pack in his favoured wet conditions. As the race ended, he even mooted that he might not take to the cockpit for the final three races of the year. The talk was quickly squashed by his team.
Then, there was the missed opportunity. Bizarrely, and for reasons Toto Wolff and his engineers do not fully understand, Mercedes had the quickest car in the cold air of the Las Vegas night. Hamilton was in the fight for pole position but failed to execute a clean qualifying lap when it mattered. He surged through the field to finish second behind teammate George Russell. But Lewis Hamilton is not a happy camper with P2 next to his name.
Lewis Hamilton’s three-word admission that gives Ferrari a huge problem
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024: Start time and how to watch F1 race this weekend
08:47 , Jack RathbornFirstly, here’s how you can follow and watch the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024 this weekend to conclude the F1 season.
McLaren lead Ferrari by 21 points in the battle to be constructors’ champions after Lando Norris’ shock penalty in Qatar meant the Scuderia narrowed the deficit in the standings. McLaren are looking to win the constructors’ title for the first time since 1998, while Ferrari have not won the teams’ crown since 2008.
This weekend will also be Lewis Hamilton’s 246th and final grand prix for Mercedes. The seven-time world champion, who won six of his titles with the Silver Arrows, joins Ferrari in 2025 and will be looking to end his time with Mercedes on a high after a torrid weekend in Qatar.
Max Verstappen won last year’s race in Abu Dhabi and has won the last four grands prix at the Yas Marina Circuit, including the controversial finale to the 2021 season.
