P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell has claimed that Michael Masi would’ve been “fearing for his life” had Max Verstappen lost the 2021 F1 title in the manner Lewis Hamilton did.
Russell and Verstappen engaged in a heated dispute in Qatar after Verstappen received a grid drop for impeding, sparking accusations and tension between the two drivers. Verstappen claimed that Russell influenced the penalty, causing him to express a loss of respect for his rival. In response, Russell found Verstappen’s comments disrespectful and disclosed that Verstappen had threatened to crash into him. Russell suggested that Verstappen struggles to handle adversity, implying that the Dutch driver would have reacted differently if their roles were reversed in the 2021 season finale. Russell also criticized the lack of accountability toward Verstappen’s aggressive driving tactics, highlighting past incidents and suggesting that the FIA needs to monitor his behavior closely. Ultimately, Russell emphasized the importance of role models in motorsport, contrasting Lewis Hamilton’s fair and tough racing style with Verstappen’s confrontational approach.
