"Cheer on Max Verstappen, it could have been worse, we could have sat you next to George Russell": When Jack Whitehall roasted the Red Bull driver

For the first time in the sport's history, Formula 1 hosted a special launch event called F1 75 Live, where Max Verstappen and other drivers, as well as team principals, were present. The event took place in February 2025, where all 10 teams unveiled their liveries and their driver lineups.

Jack Whitehall, the renowned English comedian and actor, hosted the event, where he did not mince his words and jokingly took digs at nearly all the renowned F1 personalities, including Verstappen and George Russell.

While introducing the drivers, Whitehall had his eyes on Verstappen, as he went on to poke him on his 'beef' with Russell. Pointing at the Red Bull driver, he said:

"Some drivers just wanna drive, not this guy. Give it up for Max Verstappen."

Following this, he mentioned Verstappen's "beef" with the Mercedes driver, and joked:

"Cheer up Max, it could have been worse, you didn't sit next to George Russell."

As the audience burst out in laughter, Whitehall had just started. He looked at both drivers and added:

"Have you two kissed and made up yet? I'm absolutely loving this beef by the way."

Whitehall wasn't done with Verstappen alone, as he turned towards Russell, and joked:

"If George Russell wasn't driving race cars, he'd be on TikTok, with a GoPro on his head, wheezing over trains."

Here's a video featuring Jack Whitehall jokingly taking digs at Max Verstappen and George Russell:

Notably, Max Verstappen has had a bit of a feud with George Russell, a beef that has been going on for years now. The two drivers, around the same age, are known for their aggressive driving style and sheer race craft. As a result, neither of them wants to yield to one another on the track.

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History of Max Verstappen's conflict with George Russell

The Max Verstappen - George Russell conflict continued throughout the entire 2024 season, and it reached a boiling point during the 2024 Qatar GP, the penultimate race of last year. It all started after Verstappen was penalized by the FIA for driving slowly in front of Russell.

George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team W16 leads Max Verstappen of the Netherlands driving the (1) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB21 - Source: Getty

As a result, the Dutchman lost his pole to Russell and was set to start behind the Mercedes man. The two exchanged words following this. Fast forward to the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP, the final race of the season, where both drivers continued their dispute.

"You know what it is. He [Russell] is always polite in front of the cameras, but in person he is completely different. I can’t stand that. Then it’s better to just f--- off. I don’t want anything to do with him," Verstappen said.

"People have been bullied by Max for years now, and you can’t question his driving abilities. But he cannot deal with adversity whenever anything has gone against him," Russell said in reply.

The tensions between them extended into the off-season and were a notable talking point ahead of this year's Australian GP.