Marko denounces Russell in Verstappen conflict: 'Should stick to the truth'
- Corwin Kunst
Helmut Marko has sided with the Dutchman in the feud between Max Verstappen and George Russell. The Red Bull Racing and Mercedes drivers have been having a conflict since last Saturday, and things do not seem to be working out in the short term. According to Marko, Russell must "stick to the truth".
The origins of the feud between Verstappen and Russell, as is well known, lie in Qatar. There, the four-time world champion received a one-place grid-penalty for 'impeding' the Briton during qualifying. The Dutchman, however, felt that a penalty had been because Russell wanted to screw him over. It led to great frustration for Verstappen, who said he had lost all respect for Russell.
On Thursday in Abu Dhabi, Russell in turn lashed out at Verstappen. According to the Mercedes driver, the Verstappen allegedly said him just before the Qatar race that he would crash into him.
Marko passes judgement
Marko gave his thoughts on both drivers' statements. "It has indeed blown up too much and it should actually stay among the drivers. But above all, one has to stick to the truth. I think this is basically maybe a discussion you should just have among yourselves," he told Sky Sports Germany.
Moreover, Marko believes that over the radio, drivers complain a lot over the happenings on track. "This has crystallised in recent years. At the slightest offence, people immediately complain and instruct the team principal to turn to the stewards. That's 'booing' - it's actually not worthy of our sport," the top advisor concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sárközi
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!