Max Verstappen says he "lost all respect" for George Russell following a controversial qualifying incident at the Qatar Grand Prix that resulted in a grid penalty for the Red Bull driver.

The incident occurred when Russell encountered Verstappen driving slowly on the racing line during Q3 preparations. Russell deemed the speed difference "super dangerous," leading to an investigation. Stewards penalized Verstappen one position for exceeding the maximum permitted lap time, reduced from the standard three-place penalty since neither car was on a flying lap.

Verstappen expressed disbelief at the penalty, stating he was trying to be considerate of other drivers' preparation laps. "I just tried to be nice, so maybe I shouldn't be nice!" he remarked, noting this was the first time a driver had been penalized during a slow lap.

The Dutch champion was particularly critical of Russell's behavior during the stewards' meeting, saying he'd "never seen someone trying to screw someone over that hard." Speaking to Dutch television, Verstappen further criticized Russell's character, suggesting a disconnect between his public persona and private behavior.

Despite starting from second position, Verstappen ultimately overtook Russell and won the race at Lusail International Circuit. The incident has clearly strained the relationship between the two drivers, with Verstappen stating he's completely lost respect for his competitor both professionally and personally.

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