Crowd roars as George Russell mocks Max Verstappen after he takes pole for Canadian Grand Prix
The feud between George Russell and four-time reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen looks set to continue at the Canadian Grand Prix after the two locked up the front row in qualifying on Sunday morning (AEST).
Having barely rated a mention as a chance at pole in Montreal, Russell in his Mercedes stitched together a blinding 1:10.899 lap to edge Verstappen by more than a tenth of a second. Championship leader Oscar Piastri starts third.
It's a repeat of last year's front row, which Russell and Verstappen locked out having set identical times. Russell took pole having set the time first, but Verstappen won the race.
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Max Verstappen speaking to media after qualifying in Montreal. Getty
The two have sparred on-track frequently over the last few seasons and it happened again last weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix, where Verstappen made contact with Russell that shoved the Mercedes driver off the track.
The maneuver earned Verstappen three penalty points and put him just one point away from a one-race suspension.
Verstappen ultimately said his actions were inappropriate, an admission that shocked Russell, who believes the champion is a dirty driver. Verstappen in Montreal vowed not to change his aggressive driving style despite staring down a possible race suspension.
"We're mates, it's all good," Russell joked. "I've got a few more points on my license to play with."
Russell's comments were clearly playing to the crowd at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where they roared with laughter as he mocked Verstappen's penalty situation. He later said in the post-qualifying news conference that he doesn't expect any problems Sunday.
"We're both fighting for the win here, and neither of us are really in a championship battle," he said.
"I haven’t had a win this year, so I want to get one on the board. Time will tell."
Verstappen and Russell shake hands after qualifying in Montreal. Formula 1 via Getty Images
Verstappen, for his part, was completely over the entire saga.
"I don't need to hear it again. It's really pissing me off," he said.
"I mean, (media) were speaking about it on Thursday. It’s such a waste of time. It's very childish. So, that's why I also don’t want to say too much because it’s really annoying, this world that we live in."
Russell backed Verstappen up a bit.
"I don’t think any driver goes out looking to crash into somebody and get penalty points on your license. Max is one of the best drivers. There’s no reason for him to race any differently, and I'm not sitting here thinking he's going to give us more room," Russell said.
"If anything, probably the opposite to try and prove a point.
"So I'll be keeping an eye, but ultimately, we're all here to win. You’re not going to do something that's going to jeopardise yourself from the race. It’s a busy season as well. If you get a race ban, you get a race ban and spend some time at home. It's not ideal, but it's not the end of the world."
