George Russell’s extraordinary row with Max Verstappen has caught many by surprise - but really, it is not that unexpected. The content of the explosive verbal boxing match between the two, however, is.
Russell claiming that Verstappen told him ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix he was “going to purposely go out of his way to crash into me, and put my f****** head in the wall” is a very serious accusation.
If the FIA is adamant about clamping down on driver behaviour, namely swearing, then surely it must consider and investigate Russell’s grave accusation and posed threat to his life?
The incendiary words delivered in a series of press conferences over the course of Thursday here in Abu Dhabi will draw all the attention in this season finale on a weekend where McLaren and Ferrari battle it out for the constructors' championship.
Russell’s press session was one of those rare moments in F1 where it was entirely dominated by one subject. It was unrelenting and Russell was unrepentant.
Clearly still emotional from the incident four days ago where Verstappen is alleged to have made his threat, Russell sat at a table in the Mercedes hospitality and was bristling, eyes fixed on each journalist that asked a question.
Inside the Mercedes hospitality unit within in the paddock, it was standing room only, as the ensemble media waited to see if he would react to Verstappen’s comment an hour earlier where he had labelled the Briton a liar.
Unusually, Russell was joined on his left by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who at one point indicated to a colleague that he too wanted to have his say on the matter.
He was given his opportunity and in his long answer called Red Bull boss Christian Horner a “yapping little terrier” who 'always has something to say'. Wolff would also target his counterpart for comments suggesting Russell was "hysterical".
Was it a show of support for his driver? Or just muscle memory to take aim at old foes Red Bull? Whatever the case, it was unnecessary, for his driver was comfortably holding court on his own and was speaking with conviction. Russell did not need anyone to hold his hand.
This goes back to the point at the top of this article, for many see Russell as mild-mannered. His foppish hair, his plummy accent - too much of a jolly, nice guy.
But the reality is that Russell is not like that at all.
Beneath that facade is a ruthless driver able to stand his ground against a driver who he perceives as “a bully” who has “gone too far now with his personal attack” - this coming after Verstappen had labelled him “princess George” after the two clashed at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last year.
When Russell made his F1 debut in 2019 he was undoubtedly - and understandably - reserved. But when interviewing him at the French GP a few months later that season, he had changed.
Oozing in self-confidence, unafraid to give an opinion. He had matured remarkably quickly.
Then look at the way he took up the role of director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association in 2021 after just two seasons in F1.
He stepped in to replace Romain Grosjean despite being just 23 years old, taking on the role of representing a group of massive egos.
We have also seen such a passionate defence from Russell before.
When he and Valtteri Bottas came to blows at Imola in 2021, Russell, who was then driving for Williams but lining himself up to replace Bottas at Mercedes, vented his frustration at the Finn when they made contact at high speed.
Russell then accused Bottas, asking him “if he was trying to kill us both". He later apologised for being so outspoken but he had clearly implicated Bottas in the accident and had laid down a clear notion that he felt he should have been in that car.
His stance with Verstappen is also part of his career development as he positions himself to become the number one driver at Mercedes next season.
He has already stepped up this season in terms of his responsibility to the team but that will become even more important with the arrival of rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli next season.
Crucially, Russell has won twice this season, in Austria and Las Vegas and genuinely sees himself as a rival to Verstappen next season.
If, by some miracle, Mercedes is able to pull itself into a championship fight next year, Russell knows he will need to go head-to-head with the current world champion.
By taking him head-on, he is exerting himself on Verstappen, proving to the Dutchman that he will not be willing to roll over quite so easily as others have done in the past.
Make no mistake about Russell, there has always been this edgy side to his character, we have just not seen it so explicitly.
If indeed he is in a title fight with Verstappen next season, then the Red Bull driver could find himself with a real fight on his hands.
