F1 rivals George Russell and Max Verstappen to address the media at Las Vegas Grand Prix

Photo: © IMAGO

Las Vegas Grand Prix

Russell and Verstappen to address the media at Las Vegas Grand Prix

Russell and Verstappen have developed a healthy rivalry in recent F1 seasons.

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Wednesday 19 November 2025 20:57

F1 rivals George Russell and Max Verstappen are set to address the media this week ahead of the upcoming Las Vegas Grand Prix.

At the previous championship round in Brazil, Verstappen put on a commanding drive from the pits to the podium, whilst Russell finished just shy of a place in the top three with his P4 grand prix result.

As a result, the Mercedes star is now mathematically ruled out of the title race, but the fight is still on for Verstappen and McLaren's duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

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But this could all change if the Dutchman fails to outscore standings leader Norris by at least nine points this weekend in the entertainment capital, meaning his title as reigning champion is now well and truly on the line.

This will surely be a topic posed to Verstappen by the F1 media in the official FIA press conference, which the Red Bull star has been chosen to attend along with his rival Russell.

The pair have endured their fair share of on-track scraps over recent seasons and have never shied away from publicly disagreeing with the way they each go racing, so things could get lively in Las Vegas this time out.

Verstappen's dislike of Las Vegas GP

When the Las Vegas strip was first welcomed to the F1 calendar in 2023, it brought with it a rather over the top spectacle which many felt focused too much on the drivers away from the track and not enough on the racing.

Verstappen was one individual who made his feelings of the pre-race show known, even telling the media that he felt like a 'clown' after the inaugural event's show-stopping opening ceremony.

But the 28-year-old will need to ignore the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas GP and get his head down if he wants to keep his name in the title fight for at least another week.

The Las Vegas GP is a night race and as such, the timings of the event mean that the full-length race take place on Saturday local time, not Sunday. Depending on where you are in the world, this also means that the FIA's press conference which Russell and Verstappen will both be attending will take place a day earlier in line with the schedule, on Wednesday.