As preparations for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix kicked off, George Russell downplayed any talk of a “spiky rivalry” with four-time champion Max Verstappen, dismissing it as “fictional.”
Russell Focused on Performance
The 27-year-old Briton, fresh off his victory in last year’s Austrian Grand Prix and the Canadian Grand Prix two weeks ago, arrived at the Red Bull Ring asserting that his sole focus is on his own performance. He brushed off the post-race summons by stewards in Montreal—triggered by a Red Bull protest alleging Russell deliberately braked under a safety car to penalize Verstappen—as “pfaff.” This incident in Canada had intensified the spotlight on their perceived rivalry, bringing back memories of their clashes in 2024, particularly at the Qatar Grand Prix and this year in Spain, where Verstappen drove into Russell’s car.
Verstappen’s Cautious Stance on Disciplinary Record
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen was in a feisty mood at the pre-weekend press conference, though he adopted an ultra-cautious approach when addressing his disciplinary record. Verstappen is currently just one penalty point away from a race ban, a situation he found himself in after collecting a time penalty and three points on his ‘superlicence’ for driving into Russell’s Mercedes at the Spanish Grand Prix.1
Ahead of Sunday’s race, Verstappen has 11 points on his license, knowing that 12 would result in an automatic ban.2 However, he will see two points removed after the weekend. Despite this precarious position, he stated he has no intention of altering his characteristically aggressive driving style. When asked about his prospects for the weekend, Verstappen surprisingly insisted that he and Red Bull are not the favorites, despite his impressive record of five wins at the Red Bull Ring.
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