George Russell's two-word response to what Max Verstappen would be if not an F1 driver

George Russell has said that Max Verstappen would be a street fighter if he were not an F1 driver. The two drivers were at loggerheads following an incident in qualifying for the penultimate race of the 2024 season in Qatar.

As drivers and other F1 paddock members arrived on the red carpet for the F1 75 launch event in London on Tuesday, they were greeted by the media before the commencement of the event at The O2 Arena.

Russell was among those questioned by Sportbible about what Max Verstappen would be if he were not an F1 driver.

As multiple drivers answered this question, a singular theme emerged with a majority of them claiming the Dutchman would be involved in some form of combat sport. Russell, who had an intense moment with Verstappen in Qatar last year, also answered along similar lines.

X user @SCUDERIAFEMBOY shared a part of Sportbible's video, wherein Russell says Verstappen would be a street fighter if not an F1 driver.

Russell and Verstappen clashed during the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix after Verstappen received a one-place grid penalty for allegedly impeding Russell in qualifying. Verstappen accused Russell of trying to "screw him over" in front of the stewards while the Briton claimed that the Dutchman hurled abuse at him and also called him a bully for his behavior.

The pair had a fallout in public after the race in Qatar, but both have claimed to focus on themselves and leave the fight behind in 2025.

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George Russell and Max Verstappen look to move on from 2024 Qatar spat

George Russell and Max Verstappen at the Qatar Grand Prix, 2024 - Source: Getty

Russell has claimed he does not intend to clear the air with Max Verstappen regarding their Qatar incident but will leave the spat behind in 2024. The Dutchman also said he did not want to continue any prior fights in the new season.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live ahead of F1 75, the Briton said that the incident is last year's news and he now wants to focus on himself. When asked if he has cleared the air with Verstappen, he said:

"I've got no intentions [to], to be honest. That happened last year. I want to focus on myself. Things got out of line last year. That was then. We are not going to go back to being best mates, that's for sure," said Russell.

Verstappen was also asked about his stance on last season's incident, and the Dutchman claimed he has no interest in continuing any fights, saying:

"I have no intention of continuing any kind of beef in February. I have nothing to say about that subject." [via BBC]

Russell would be hoping Mercedes produce a competitive car in 2025, allowing him to fight Verstappen regularly. The Briton will be eager to move past the moment when the Dutchman overtook him before the first corner in Qatar.