Despite Max Verstappen and George Russell seemingly having put their Qatar conflict to rest, Verstappen’s soon-to-be uncle-in-law, Nelson Piquet Jr., isn’t quite ready to forget it. The dispute between Verstappen and Russell was a late-season flashpoint in the F1 2024 championship, a fiery exchange following qualifying at the Qatar Grand Prix.
Verstappen, who was stripped of pole position due to a post-qualifying penalty for driving at an unnecessary slow pace, lashed out at Russell for allegedly attempting to influence the stewards against him. Russell, in turn, accused the Dutch racer of being a bully, alleging that Verstappen had threatened him with violent language.
However, at the F1 75 event, both drivers appeared to bury the hatchet. Russell expressed confidence in Verstappen’s driving, while Verstappen assured media outlets, including PlanetF1.com, that he had no plans to reignite the feud in the future. But Piquet Jr., it seems, isn’t willing to let sleeping dogs lie.
The conversation took an interesting turn when Piquet Jr. and former F1 driver Christian Fittipaldi discussed the FIA’s recent ban on drivers using profanity on the Pelas Pistas podcast. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has called for a total ban on offensive language, with violations potentially leading to hefty fines, suspensions, and even the loss of World Championship points.
Piquet Jr., a former Renault F1 driver and brother to Verstappen’s partner, Kelly, expressed his disapproval of the ban, describing it as suppressive of the drivers’ personality. He lamented the increasing PR polish that drivers are expected to display during interviews, arguing that fans need to see the true persona of the drivers. He cited himself, James Hunt, and Max Verstappen as examples of drivers who speak their minds.
Fittipaldi joined in, expressing his concern about drivers becoming “polished robots”. The conversation eventually circled back to the Verstappen-Russell spat, with Piquet Jr. taking a jab at Russell, accusing the British driver of being overly calculating and comparing him to a “Playmobil doll”. Fittipaldi added to the jest, likening Russell to a character from the puppet show Thunderbirds, to which Piquet Jr. humorously suggested “Chicken Run”.
In conclusion, while Verstappen and Russell may have moved on from their tiff, it’s clear that some in the racing community haven’t quite forgotten it. The ban on foul language has sparked a debate about the suppression of drivers’ personalities, and it remains to be seen how this will impact the sport and its stars in the future.