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Liam Lawson has shed some more light on the tension between Max Verstappen and George Russell at the end of season driver’s dinner.
The Formula 1 community has been given some inside information about the much talked about end of season F1 driver’s dinner, following recent revelations from Liam Lawson.
Lawson, recently promoted to Red Bull Racing alongside Max Verstappen, shared the anecdote on the Pitstop podcast, shedding light on the dynamics between Verstappen and Mercedes driver George Russell at that fateful dinner.
According to Lawson, the dinner was attended by nearly all the F1 drivers, who were seated at a large table at the Zuma Japanese restaurant in Abu Dhabi.
As the evening progressed, the drivers noticed that Russell had not yet arrived. Spotting an opportunity for some light-hearted mischief, they deliberately left the seat next to Verstappen vacant, anticipating Russell’s reaction upon arrival.
Lawson recounted, “We rock up, and we are at this big table. Me and Yuki got there together, and we weren’t the first people there; there were something like six or seven people there.”
He continued, “But as the table was filling up, that side of the table was pretty much all full. Opposite me was Max, and then there were three chairs to the left at the end of the table that was left, and George hadn’t arrived yet. So we were like: this is perfect, we’re just going to save that spot right next to Max for him.”
When Russell eventually arrived, the drivers greeted him warmly. Verstappen even played along, saying, “Mate, we’ve saved a seat for you.” However, instead of taking the designated seat, Russell picked up the chair and moved it to the opposite end of the table, choosing to sit near Lewis Hamilton.
Lawson noted, “We were all like, ‘Oh my god.’ We thought this was going to be funny, but it wasn’t funny. Well, kind of funny for us.”
The Pitstop podcast
The dinner came in the wake of escalating tensions between Verstappen and Russell, stemming from a qualifying incident at the Qatar Grand Prix earlier in the season.
During that session, Verstappen received a one-place grid penalty for impeding Russell, a decision that Russell publicly criticized, describing Verstappen’s actions as “super dangerous.” Verstappen responded by expressing his frustration, stating he had “lost all respect” for Russell.
The exchange of words continued, with Russell labeling Verstappen a “bully” and accusing him of being unable to handle adversity.
The drivers’ dinner, traditionally a time for camaraderie and reflection, was notably marked by the palpable tension between the two drivers.
Lando Norris, who shared a group photo on social media, humorously pointed out the seating arrangement, noting that Verstappen and Russell were “sat as far away from each other as possible.”
Valtteri Bottas, who covered the dinner’s bill, commented on the evening’s atmosphere. He acknowledged the underlying tensions but emphasized the importance of maintaining traditions and camaraderie within the sport. “I think it’s a nice tradition. Everyone is so busy always doing their own thing; at least once a year [to] get together and have a laugh, I really enjoyed it,” Bottas remarked.
He also noted that no reconciliation occurred between Verstappen and Russell during the dinner, adding, “But there was one picture last night; they were next to each other, and there was no fighting. So that’s positive, so step by step.”
