It has develop into custom lately for Lewis Hamilton to organise an end-of-year dinner for Formulation One’s drivers on the last grand prix in Abu Dhabi; an opportunity to place apart variations and catch up in an off-the-cuff setting.
This yr’s meal had some critical further spice, although, with two of the drivers at the moment engaged
Lando Norris joked on Instagram on Thursday evening that George Russell and Max Verstappen – who had spent all afternoon because the fallout from – “sat as distant from one another as potential” at this yr’s dinner.
But it surely seems the night didn’t begin out like that.
It has emerged that Russell was the final to reach and the opposite drivers, as a option to defuse the stress, had left him a seat subsequent to Verstappen, collapsing in giggles when he arrived and noticed what they’d finished. Russell promptly moved the seat to the opposite finish of the desk.
It was one other signal that this feud goes to take a while to simmer down. Each drivers have been completely scathing in regards to the different in interviews earlier within the day. Russell known as Verstappen a “bully”, alleging that the Dutchman had threatened to “put his f—— head within the wall” in Qatar, an allegation his Pink Bull rival denied. Verstappen, in the meantime, labelled Russell a “loser”, saying he had “lied” to the stewards in an effort to earn the Pink Bull driver a grid penalty in Doha.
“George is a backstabber,” Verstappen mentioned in an interview with Dutch media. “The best way he brings up all this nonsense – he’s only a loser. He lies and cobbles issues collectively that don’t add up. I solely voiced my opinion about his behaviour with the stewards.
“Clearly, he couldn’t deal with that. And his feedback about 2021? [Russell had said that Hamilton was the rightful winner of that race and claimed Verstappen would have been out for then race director Michael Masi’s blood had the race worked out in Hamilton’s favour] That’s how he acted with the stewards, insinuating nonsense.”
The opposite drivers are clearly discovering the spat amusing. In addition to the musical chairs on the dinner, and the Norris Instagram publish, additionally they admitted in interviews within the paddock to getting the popcorn out.
“I hope it doesn’t get smoothed out,” Norris mentioned with a smile on Thursday. “I hope they keep combating and arguing as a result of it’s amusing to look at.
Requested whether or not Verstappen was a bully, the McLaren driver added: “Each different driver has their very own method of doing issues. However I don’t suppose Max tries to intimidate. Max simply says the reality, in his opinion. And I’m utterly fantastic with that. Generally I disagree along with his opinion, generally I agree. However that’s fantastic. I respect Max so much and I respect George so much. However I don’t thoughts in the event that they lose respect for each other.”
A minimum of Russell and Verstappen ended the dinner pleased. Russell thanked Valtteri Bottas, who’s leaving Sauber and probably Formulation One on the finish of the season, for footing the invoice, which got here to round £4,000. And Verstappen was pleased too. He introduced in a single day that his girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, the daughter of three-time champion Nelson Piquet, was pregnant with their first baby collectively.
“Mini Verstappen-Piquet on the best way,” the Dutch driver wrote on Instagram. “We couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.”
Piquet already has a daughter, Penelope, with former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat. Verstappen has incessantly spoken about how a lot he enjoys spending time with Penelope and even replied to a Pink Bull message of congratulations on Instagram: “After all I’m already sort of a bonus dad. However I’m nonetheless very excited!”
