F1 2025: Max Verstappen and George Russell in tense exchange after Australian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen, George Russell, Qatar, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

Australian Grand Prix

Max Verstappen and George Russell in tense exchange after Australian Grand Prix

Both drivers finished on the podium in Australia

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 16 March 2025 20:57 Updated: 13:28

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Max Verstappen and George Russell were involved in an awkward exchange having both got themselves up onto the podium at the Australian Grand Prix.

The pair were embroiled in a heated dispute at the end of the 2024 season, after Verstappen was unhappy with Russell's behaviour having been given a penalty after qualifying for the Qatar GP.

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Russell accused Verstappen of 'bullying', and alleged that he launched an x-rated threat in the stewards' room, something that Verstappen denied.

The drama looks set to rumble on in 2025, with the pair admitting recently that they haven't talked following the conclusion of the 2024 season.

At the season-opening Australian GP in Melbourne, both drivers drove brilliantly well to secure podiums for Red Bull and Mercedes respectively.

George Russell and Max Verstappen clashed at the Qatar Grand Prix

Both drivers were on the podium in Australia

Are Russell and Verstappen still feuding?

Four-time world champion Verstappen seemingly had a disadvantaged car, certainly compared to the two McLaren drivers, yet still managed to come within less than a second of victory in chaotic conditions.

Russell, meanwhile, brought his Mercedes car home in third on a strong day for Mercedes. His 18-year-old rookie team-mate Kimi Antonelli finished fifth, with Mercedes ranking as the second-best constructor at the season-opening race.

In the cooldown room after the race, however, it meant that Russell and Verstappen had to sit next to each other as the three podium sitters watched the race highlights together.

Race winner Lando Norris was in regular conversation with Verstappen as the pair shared their thoughts on the race, with Russell sat there awkwardly, trying to get a word in wherever he could.

While Russell and Norris shared some interaction too, Verstappen and Russell barely even looked in the same direction as each other, suggesting the 2024 rivalry is still burning among both drivers.

During the post-race interviews, Verstappen was asked whether the air had been cleared between the two, to which he jokingly replied 'it's shockingly bad', before going on to clarify 'it's all good'.