Russell Verstappen Isolated as 19 Drivers Back FIA Rules

Russell Applauds FIA Penalties Against Verstappen’s Moves

28/10/2024

George Russell supports FIA penalties, emphasizing Verstappen’s isolation as the majority of drivers align with regulatory changes.

George Russell expressed frustration with Max Verstappen’s behavior following more non-compliant defenses and attacks by the Dutchman. The Mercedes F1 driver is, however, pleased to see the FIA and the drivers aligned on a common philosophy, though he suggests that Verstappen disagrees with the upcoming regulatory changes.

“I think the stewards fully agree on what needs to change,” Russell stated. “I believe the key discussion was that they wanted to wait until 2025, to ensure consistency throughout this year. I would say 19 out of 20 drivers said, ‘if it’s wrong, make the change now.'”

“I’m glad to see these incidents being penalized, and I think that in the future, in Brazil, what we saw today [Sunday] and last week [in Austin] won’t be tolerated anymore.”

“You would think it should be easy to change if everyone agrees, but it sometimes seems more challenging than it should be when things need approval and we have to proceed with a vote. But as I said, 19 times out of 20, we all agree on what needs to be done.”

Russell praised his battle with Lewis Hamilton, which was intense yet clean. However, he criticized Verstappen’s unfair behavior towards his rivals: “It was good to fight, and it’s always good when you’re racing with Lewis because it’s hard but fair.”

“Right now, we’re witnessing a number of maneuvers that are simply… it’s becoming more than entertaining or more than sporting; it’s almost unfair at some point now. You could say that the first battle was maybe 60-40 in terms of responsibility. As for the second, I haven’t seen anything like it since Brazil 2021.”

Russell: Verstappen Isolated as 19 Drivers Back FIA Rules Russell: Verstappen Isolated as 19 Drivers Back FIA Rules

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