Former Formula 1 driver and Dutch motoring legend Gijs van Lennep has spoken out about George Russell , after the Briton became embroiled in a feud with Max Verstappen , at the end of the 2024 F1 season. According to Van Lennep, the Mercedes driver is a very nasty man, who is mainly underhanded and unreliable.
Van Lennep could be brief about the 2024 Formula 1 season: it was a great year, with a wonderful championship. However, the Dutchman also had a downside: he did not think the clash between Max Verstappen and George Russell was anything to write home about. According to Van Lennep, the fact that the colleagues were at each other’s throats in the media, after which they were throwing mud back and forth in Abu Dhabi, was not entirely the intention.
In the Ziggo Sport program Langs de vangrails , presented by Olav Mol , Van Lennep says that in his eyes ‘blackening’ each other does not fit in with Formula 1. And that it happened is in his eyes not the fault of Max Verstappen, but of George Russell, who talked about the Red Bull driver behind Max’s back.
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Van Lennep lashes out at Russell
The Dutchman is asked by Mol about the FIA fuss about the swearing of the drivers, who will have to watch their language more in 2025, otherwise they could be suspended . But in Van Lennep’s answer he immediately wants to say something about George Russell…
“It’s a difficult problem. They can say whatever they want as far as I’m concerned, but they shouldn’t smear each other. Look at Russell. You think: ‘that’s a nice guy, without a beard, a neat boy’. But in the meantime, behind everyone’s back, he’s the biggest crook of all time,” Van Lennep begins.
“He should get a yellow card for once. He behaves so well, and he thinks he does everything right and Max Verstappen doesn’t. Well, I think he’s the kind of guy they should also deal with. But he’ll still get a beating, you know. Formula 1 is going to be something this year.”
