P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen strongly criticised George Russell for pushing for the qualifying penalty that cost him pole position for Formula 1’s Qatar Grand Prix, saying “I’ve never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard”
Max Verstappen criticized George Russell sharply for advocating for the penalty that cost him pole position at the Qatar Grand Prix, describing it as an attempt to harm him intentionally. The penalty, demoting Verstappen to second, did not affect the race outcome as he swiftly overtook Russell on the first lap and won the race. Verstappen received the penalty for driving slowly when Russell had to take evasive action, although neither was on a fast lap. Verstappen expressed disappointment and disbelief at the incident, feeling that his respect for Russell was lost in the process. The situation was unusual as both drivers were not on quick laps, with Verstappen trying to make way for others while Russell was preparing for a flying lap at a higher speed. Verstappen found the penalty unjust but noted the complexities of the sport and the need to move on despite the disappointment.
