George Russell approach to Max Verstappen feud is something Lando Norris can learn from

There we were, expecting a nice, quiet end to this long season seeing as Max Verstappen is already champion.

And then George Russell walked into the Mercedes hospitality unit for his media session, a steely expression on his face. Before he even opened his mouth we could see what was about to happen.

It’s been a while since F1 had some real, proper beef. Verstappen and Lando Norris had their moments this year, but it took only days for it all to be forgotten. That Russell and Verstappen arrived in Abu Dhabi a week after their argument in Qatar still gunning for each other shows there is a genuine issue there.

As for their allegations about one another, as entertaining as it was, it was all a bit ‘he said, he said’. The truth of what actually happened, as is often the case, probably lies somewhere in the middle.

But what we do know for sure is that Russell is no pushover. Toto Wolff gatecrashed the media session to back his driver but he didn’t need to - the Brit was standing up for himself just fine. If we didn’t know before whether Russell has that fire in his belly that’s often needed to succeed at the highest level in sport, we do now.

And Norris, who was too meek in his approach to his title fight with Verstappen this year, would do well to learn a thing or two from his compatriot.

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Fresh from his heroics in Qatar last weekend, Zhou Guanyu might just have been handed an F1 lifeline.

He’s got no chance of starting next season on the grid, even after scoring minnows Sauber’s first and only points of the season. But his chances of joining Cadillac when the General Motors brand joins F1 in 2026 have just rocketed.

That’s because Graeme Lowdon, the former Manor and Virgin Racing boss, has been named as their team principal. What’s he been doing since Manor went bust? Among other things, he’s been a close part of Zhou’s inner circle. China’s first ever F1 racer may have a future in the sport after all.

From the archive

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Inside track

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