George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, Silverstone, British GP, 2023 — Photo: © IMAGO

Qatar Grand Prix

Mercedes star demands FIA punishment for F1 rival

George Russell has demanded punishment for one of his rivals

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 1 December 2024 13:57

A Mercedes Formula 1 star has hilariously demanded that one of his rivals is given a fine for swearing during a press conference.

Max Verstappen has recently been embroiled in a row with the FIA, who slammed him with a community service-style punishment for swearing during a press conference at the Singapore GP.

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Verstappen responded by not giving full answers in succeeding press conferences, in a protest against the ruling, while the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) submitted a joint statement surrounding the way in which they were being treated by the sport's governing body.

The chairman of the GPDA is George Russell, who at the Qatar Grand Prix, called for more transparency and consistency from the FIA.

George Russell managed to claim second in Qatar GP qualifying

British stars George Russell and Lando Norris are good friends

Russell calls for Norris punishment

Following qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix, in which Russell managed to claim second behind Verstappen before the latter's grid penalty promoted him to pole, the Mercedes driver hilariously tried to catch out Lando Norris, who had stumbled on his words.

As Norris struggled to say the word 'privileges' during the post-qualifying press conference, he let a profanity slip out, mumbling 's***' in frustration.

Russell immediately jumped on the error in hilarious fashion, proclaiming: "That's a fine!"

Norris did apologise for the use of the word 's***', but it remains to be seen if he is struck with any kind of punishment following the Verstappen saga from Singapore.

The McLaren driver managed to qualify in third behind Verstappen and Russell, and will be hoping for a strong result in Qatar to try and boost his team's chances of claiming their first constructors' title since 1998.

Max Verstappen FIA George Russell Qatar Grand Prix Singapore GP