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    Ultimate Formula 1 drivers rich list as Max Verstappen pulls clear of Lewis Hamilton with record-breaking salary

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    IT’S the most expensive sport in the world, so it’s no surprise top Formula 1 drivers boast eye-watering salaries.The likes of Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris certainly enjoy a life in the fast line – with supercar collections, huge mansions and beautiful women.Max Verstappen was crowned a four-time world champ in Las Vegas last monthGeorge Russell with stunning girlfriend Carmen Montero MundtSunday saw the end of the 2024 season and Hamilton’s final race with Mercedes as he heads to childhood heroes Ferrari in the New Year.But all the drama has come away from the track, with Verstappen and Russell at war over an incident at the penultimate race of the campaign in Qatar on December 1.The Red Bull driver accused Russell of being “two-faced” with the stewards, while the Brit threw out “bullying” accusations back.Ahead of the off-season, we reveal the drivers at the top of the rich list – as the top 10 earners collected an estimated £248m combined.READ MORE F1 NEWS10) PIERRE GASLY £9MPierre comes from a family heavily involved in motorsportsPierre, 28, who made his debut in 2017, drives for Alpine and comes from a family heavily involved in motorsports.His salary was bumped up to £8m this season, with £1m in bonuses as he signed a contract extension in June to keep him with team until 2026. Pierre’s brand partnerships include headphone brand Blomm and Berger, The Grid, Destination Grand Prix, and Crypto Gaming.He is said to be dating Italian Caterina Masetti Zannini, who shares many of her lavish trips with Pierre on Instagram.Most read in Motorsport9) CARLOS SAINZ £15MSainz has been replaced by Hamilton after a great final season with FerrariF1 Bianca BustamanteThe Spanish ace was paid a reported £8m a year by Ferrari, who he joined in 2021 after successful stints with Renault and McLaren.And he is promised £9m in performance related bonuses, which he surely wrapped up with 27 podium finishes in 2024.But the 30-year-old has joined Williams after being replaced by Lewis Hamilton.Endorsements include Playstation, lager brand Estrella and German helmet manufacturer Schuberth.Away from the track he still feels the need for speed and his luxury car collection includes a McLaren 720S worth £800k and a £750K Ferrari 812.Time is of the essence too – with a high end watch collection worth millions, including a Roger Dubuis timepiece worth USD £205,000 and a Franck Muller watch worth £200,000.8) SERGIO PEREZ £15.3MSergio’s future at Red Bull is under threatSergio, 34, may not be the highest-paid driver on the grid, but he’s been amassing an impressive fortune since his debut in 2011.His estimated £62.4million net worth, which includes an £9.4million salary from Red Bull, makes him one of the richest athletes in the world.The Mexican signed a two-year contract extension in June, but he was nowhere near competitive for the rest of the season, slipping to eighth in the standings just a year after he finished as the runner-up to team-mate Verstappen. This has left his Red Bull future under threat.Checo reportedly owns a multi-million dollar 15,000-square-foot mansion in Mexico and supercars including a Bugatti Chiron, which cost around £2million.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBCHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon7) OSCAR PIASTRI £17MOscar Piastri has backed up his rookie season this yearThe 23-year-old is one the babies on the track, having come through the Renault Sports Academy and started his F1 career in 2021.As such, he actually earns LESS than the aforementioned drivers in salary (£5m) – but his staggering £13m in bonuses sees him climb the list.After a strong rookie season in 2023, Piastri was even better this year, claiming the first two Grand Prix victories of his career in Hungary and Azerbaijan and finishing fourth in the driver standings. He is set to race at least two more years for McLaren after signing a contract extension in September 2023, just days before he secured his first podium finish.The future is bright to the Aussie as he helped McLaren clinch their first Constructors’ Championship in 26 years.6) GEORGE RUSSELL £18MGeorge Russel’s has shot up through the ranks in recent yearsRussell is now the No1 driver at Mercedes after Hamilton’s exit – but he’s internal dominance this year had proved that anyway – as he signed an extension in August 2023.He now bags £11.7million a year from Mercedes, with a reported £7million in bonuses.Teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli, 18, will step into Hamilton’s iconic shoes.Russell finished sixth in the standings and won two races, missing a third victory only because of a disqualification at Spa.5) CHARLES LECLERC £21MThe Frenchman earns £11.7m in salary at Ferrari as he welcomes HamiltonCredit: GettyLeclerc, who finished third in the driver standings this year, will welcome Hamilton to Ferrari next season.The Frenchman earns £11.7m in salary and his bonuses almost match that at £10m.He was part of another memorable tandem at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The 27-year-old took part in Friday’s practice session alongside his 24-year-old brother, Arthur—a Ferrari development driver—making them the first siblings ever to drive in F1 as teammates.4) FERNANDO ALONSO £21.5MThe 42-year-old owns homes in Oxford and SwitzerlandTwo-time world champion Fernando Alonso, 42, signed a new deal with Aston Martin in 2023 after finishing fourth in the standings.The Spanish star earns £18million in salary, while performance add-ons amount to around £3million. Unsurprisingly, Alonso likes his cars – he owns over 300 and some have even been put on display in the Fernando Alonso Sports Complex in Spain.The racer owns homes in Oxford and Switzerland, as well as an apartment in a 52-storey building in Dubai.3) LANDO NORRIS £27MAfter claiming P1 in the final race at Abu Dhabi, Norris declared: ‘Next year is my year’Norris wasn’t quite able to overtake Verstappen for the drivers’ title, but achieved 13 podium finishes this year.He did, however, take home a reported £9.4million in wages, and surely earned his whopping £18m in bonuses, as McLaren landed an unexpected constructors’ championship.Lando was born into wealth through dad Adam – who amassed a £205million fortune – and mum Cisca, from Belgium.After claiming P1 in the final race at Abu Dhabi on Sunday, Norris declared: “Next year is my year”.2) LEWIS HAMILTON £45MLewis Hamilton used to earn the most on the gridAfter years of dominance at Mercedes, Hamilton was the highest-paid driver in F1 – his contract with netted him £43million each year, and he’s estimated to be worth £270.9million.That figure is set to soar far higher, too, after it was revealed he will join the Scuderia in 2025 in a shock deal worth £100million.But the wage gulf between Hamilton and Verstappen has expanded after the changing of the guard moment in 2021.The seven-time world champion has numerous endorsement deals with the likes of Puma, Sony, Police, and Tommy Hilfiger.Hertfordshire-born Lewis, 39, is said to be raking in an additional £16.6million from these sponsorship deals.He also owns a £49.1million penthouse in New York, according to GQ, and a £19.1million six-bedroom home in London.1) MAX VERSTAPPEN £59MVerstappen is F1’s highest-paid driver on the trackUnderstandably, for the third straight year, Verstappen is F1’s highest-paid driver on the track.With estimated 2024 earnings of £59million, including a series-record £47million in salary to go with £12million in performance bonuses.The Dutchman had to wait until the season’s third-to-last Grand Prix, in Las Vegas, to lock up the championship, four races later than when he clinched in 2023.READ MORE SUN STORIESAs he’s only 27, industry experts predict his estimated £165million fortune will increase in the coming years.Last week, the Red Bull No.1 announced he is expecting a baby with partner Kelly Piquet, daughter of three-time F1 champ Nelson Piquet.The F1 driver announced the happy news with this picture on social media More

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      Max Verstappen lashes out at ‘stupid idiots’ as F1 rival overheard dropping sarcastic dig on radio at Abu Dhabi GP

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      MAX VERSTAPPEN lashed out at Formula One officials after receiving a 10-second penalty at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.Verstappen, 27, made contact with Oscar Piastri on the first corner of the opening lap on Sunday.Max Verstappen lashed out at Formula One officials after receiving a 10-second penaltyCredit: GettyVerstappen made contact with Oscar Piastri on the first corner of the opening lapPiastri started spinning off the track and ended up facing the other wayBoth Piastri and Verstappen issued some sarcastic messages on the radioCredit: RexPiastri, 23, started spinning off the track and ended up facing the other way, while the Red Bull superstar managed to keep going.However, the reigning Formula One champion was handed a 10-second penalty as a result of the collision.And the Dutchman was clearly not impressed with the stewards’ decision.Verstappen was heard saying on his radio: “Can we ask for 20 seconds? Stupid idiots.”Read More on F1McLaren star Piastri was also heard dropping a sarcastic dig at his rival on his radio after the incident.Piastri was heard saying: “Yep. Move of a world champion that one.”And when informed by his McLaren team that Verstappen had been handed a 10-second penalty, the Aussie star responded: “Good.”The reigning world champion finished the race sixth, while Piastri snatched 10th place.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSMcLaren team-mate Lando Norris was the big winner of the race.British legend Sir Lewis Hamilton finished ahead of both Verstappen and Piastri.Ferrari urged to rip up Lewis Hamilton’s contract by F1 legend after star’s ‘worrying’ admission Hamilton, who was racing with Mercedes for the last time ever before moving to Ferrari, was fourth. More

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      Lewis Hamilton fights back tears as he sends classy tribute to Mercedes colleagues ahead of Ferrari switch

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      LEWIS HAMILTON held back tears and wowed fans with donuts after an emotional last dance with Mercedes.The seven-time world champion rocked up to the paddock in a Ferrari red suit, still reeling after a horrendous qualifying session saw him start the race in 16th.Sir Lewis Hamilton held back tears after an emotional last dance with MercedesCredit: APHamilton is set to leave Mercedes for FerrariCredit: GettyBut he produced what Toto Wolff described as the “drive of a world champion” to cross the line in fourth after 12 glittering years with Mercedes ahead of his move to Ferrari next season.He has been a part of the most successful team-driver combination in F1 history, winning six of his seven championships with Merc, 84 of his 105 race wins, and 78 of his 104 poles.Hamilton fought back tears and said on his team radio after the race: “The pleasure’s been mine. We dreamed alone. But together we believed. And as a team, we achieved things that only…“Thank you for all the courage, the determination and the passion for seeing me and supporting me.Read More on F1″What started out as a leap of faith turned into a journey into the history books. So, we did everything together and I’m so, so grateful to everyone. From the bottom of my heart, all the best.”His race engineer Peter Bonnington took to the radio and said: “Thank you, Lewis. It has been an amazing journey,“I’m so grateful to be part of this chapter of your life and best luck for the next one,”Wolff added: “We love you too and you’re always going to be part of that family. And if we can’t win, you should win.”Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSIt was an epic comeback for Hamilton after a nightmare qualifying which saw his team leave him out too late and while under pressure on his flying lap a bollard came lodged underneath his car.He was knocked out in 18th but started in 16th on the grid due to penalties for Charles Leclerc and Alex Albon.Racing legend Mary McGee and star of Lewis Hamilton’s ‘Motorcycle Mary’ film passes away While on fresher tyres, Hamilton closed on George Russell and started the final lap on his tail.Hamilton closed in down the two long straights and then used his better tyres to pass Russell around the long fast Turn Nine after the younger man defended to the inside.Wolff added: “Lewis, that was the drive of a world champion. Amazing.” More

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      Lewis Hamilton shows class is permanent with charge up grid in final Mercedes race – but Lando Norris has last laugh

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      LANDO NORRIS brought home McLaren’s first constructors’ title since 1998 by the skin of their teeth.All hopes were pinned on the British 24-year-old’s shoulders at the Abu Dhabi GP after his team-mate Oscar Piastri, who started second on the grid, suffered a disastrous crash with Max Verstappen. Lewis Hamilton drove his final race for MercedesThe Brit won six F1 world titles during his nine year stint with the Silver ArrowsHe leaves Mercedes for Ferrari after leading the once most dominant dynasties in modern F1Lando Norris won the Abu Dhabi GP to clinch the constructors championship for McLarenCredit: ReutersThe Abu Dhabi GP was the last race of the seasonLando Norris secured his fourth win of the seasonThe crash at the very start of the race left the Aussie falling into last place before he was then later slapped with a ten-place grid penalty for a collision with Franco Colapinto. To make matters worse, the Ferrari cars were fierce throughout, with Charles Leclerc producing the drive of his life to sit in third for the majority of the race after starting in 19th due to a ten-place grid penalty. Meanwhile his team-mate Carlos Sainz snapped at Norris’ heels and McLaren’s constructors’ hopes from second-place. Norris, who missed out on this season’s driver’s title to Max Verstappen, roared after the race: “Woohoo! Well done everyone, so proud of you all. Next year is going to be my year too.”READ MORE F1Meanwhile in his final Mercedes race, Lewis Hamilton soared into fourth from 16th on the grid with a last-lap pass on team-mate George Russell.Hamilton had endured a horror show in qualifying in his last race weekend with the Silver Arrows.But he was given the freedom of the home straight to do some donuts to mark his farewell after six championship titles with the British team.The constructor’s title is a huge feat for McLaren after the revival sparked by the upgrades they brought to the Miami Grand Prix a full 17 races ago in May, which coincided with Norris bringing the fight to Verstappen for the driver’s title.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThey have overcome a 115-point deficit at that stage of the season to take the lead from Red Bull.It was David Coulthard and Mika Hakkinen that gave McLaren its last constructors’ title 24 years ago in 1998, its eighth title.The race was crazy from the start as Verstappen and Piastri collided, Yuki Tsunoda stalled and there was a spin from Sergio Perez. Norris got away well but Verstappen touched Piastri on the inside and they both spun at the first corner. Seething Piastri dropped into last place and hit out at the four-time world champ, saying on his team radio: “Yep, move of a world champion.”There was no stopping Leclerc who gained 11 places for Ferrari, soaring into eighth while Lewis Hamilton was in 12th from 16th.Perez had been tagged by Valtteri Bottas before his spin and came to a halt in the final sector of the second lap leaving him out of the race and prompting a Virtual Safety Car. Verstappen was then delivered the news that he had been slapped with a 10-second time penalty for causing a collision with Piastri on the first lap.Bottas also suffered the same fate for hitting Sergio Perez.Hamilton was given the freedom to do donuts after his final Mercedes raceMeanwhile Max Verstappen was crowned four-time world champ last month in Las VegasPiastri pitted by lap five and thankfully for McLaren did not need a new front wing but only a new set of tyres. He came out 25 seconds behind 17th-placed Jack Doohan, but things went from bad to worse when he was hit with a 10-second time penalty of his own for an earlier collision with Colapinto. Suddenly the pressure was cranked up on Norris, with it a long way back for Piastri to get back into the points. It didn’t help that Monaco-born Leclerc was relentless, flying into fourth as a Ferrari red sunset stained the sky.Verstappen pitted and served his penalty on lap 31 and aimed a dig at the stewards, saying: “Could we ask for 20-seconds? Stupid idiots.” READ MORE SUN STORIESFor nearly half of the race the Ferraris had Norris in their sights as they circled like sharks around in the track in second and third. Norris bravely held off and crossed the line as fireworks filled the sky as McLaren beat Ferrari by 14 points.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBCHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

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      ‘I messed up big time’ – Lewis Hamilton has nightmare final qualifying for Mercedes as he crashes out in Q1 in Abu Dhabi

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      LEWIS HAMILTON’S final race weekend for Mercedes started in the worst manner possible after he was eliminated from the first qualifying session.Hamilton is racing his final weekend with the Silver Arrows after a glittering 11-year career, but declared “I messed up big time” as he scored his lowest-ever qualifying result around Abu Dhabi for tomorrow’s season finale.Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in Q1 of his final race weekend with MercedesCredit: GettyIt was his lowest ever qualifying result in Abu DhabiCredit: APThe 39-year-old would have been looking to end his Mercedes career on a high before his blockbuster move to Ferrari next year.However, Hamilton came unstuck around the Yas Marina circuit as a bollard got stuck under his car in the final few corners of his lap, causing him to lack the speed to escape the drop zone.The Brit had unluckily followed Haas star Kevin Magnussen – who is also on his last race with his team – through a corner after he had knocked a bollard down after cutting a corner.And his time of 1:12.887 was only enough for P18 as he missed out on Q2 by just 0.093s.READ MORE IN F1Speaking on the team radio following the lap, Hamilton said: “I messed that up big time guys. F***ing hell.”That was bad man, jesus.”Mercedes boss Toto Wolff replied: “Yeah s*** Lewis that was bad.” His P18 in qualifying means Hamilton will start ahead of only Alpine rookie Jack Doohan and Williams driver Franco Colapinto.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSMeanwhile, he will have Zhou Guanyu and Alex Albon of Sauber and Williams respectively directly ahead of him.After winning six world drivers titles with Mercedes, Hamilton’s final six races with the team have seen him score three Q1 eliminations.Lewis Hamilton demands to RETIRE in meltdown at Qatar Grand Prix as time at Mercedes heads for sad endingIt took 171 races for Hamilton to be eliminated three times from Q1 before this, while it also meant Hamilton had lost 19-5 in qualifying results against team-mate George Russell this season.Reacting to his elimination afterwards, Hamilton told BBC 5 Live: “You couldn’t make it up, you really couldn’t, but it is what it is. We gave it everything, I gave it everything, the car was in a good place. “Every practice session went well, I was ahead of my team-mate all weekend but when we got to qualifying I think as a team we didn’t perform in terms of the timing.”I was the last car on track and ran out of time ultimately, and then I got the bollard at the end which went under the car and I lost all downforce so it couldn’t have gone worse really.”On it being his last weekend with Mercedes, he added: “Every day and more than ever I’ve just tried to be really present… just trying to take it in because it’s the last time we will be racing and driving in Silver Arrows and it’s all my wins, all my success through my life so every moment is a special moment and I would have loved to get a podium for the guys this weekend and it just didn’t work out.”He also told Sky Sports F1: “Just my luck but it’s okay.”I’ve tried, we’ve tried so hard with the setup… we thought maybe a podium was possible this weekend.”To go from P1, P2 [in practice] to then be in 18th, it definitely changes the look into the weekend but I’m trying to be present, the team have been great. “My hopes are high, it is what it is, I’ll try and come back.”Speaking in the mixed zone, he added: “I don’t feel the pain. I think for me, I’ve just been very present, been enjoying every moment, getting the car in a good place.”The timing for that (bollard) to get under the car was just nuts. I don’t have any emotions, I’m pretty chill. It was an unfortunate session, with the bollard under the car…”That’s (the final sector) where we’ve struggled the most as a team this weekend. The car was feeling really good in general. P3, I was third. “So honestly I thought we could be fighting for a podium, and my race pace was second-quickest. But it wasn’t meant to be.”Hamilton also opened up on the annual drivers dinner earlier this week, saying: “Really, really happy that we’ve been doing that. “I asked Seb, asked the guys to get together for Seb’s leaving, that was really special, and we had the best time, so we set it up this year, and I hope they had a great time. “It was really funny obviously, George arriving, but it was alright.”Despite his qualifying horror show, Hamilton will start ahead of future Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc who will start at the back of the grid after he was eliminated in Q2 and will take a 10-place grid drop for taking a new battery.READ MORE SUN STORIESThis will bump Hamilton up to P17 for the race barring any further penalties across the grid.McLaren claimed a 1-2 qualifying result with Lando Norris on pole to give them a huge advantage in the constructors championship title race over Ferrari.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBCHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

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      War between Russell and Verstappen out of control as Horner follows up dig at rival Wolff but FIA WON’T take action

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      CHRISTIAN HORNER snapped back at Toto Wolff by saying “I’d rather be a terrier than a Wolff”.The Mercedes boss unleashed his fury at Horner on Thursday by labelling him a “yapping little terrier” amid the furious row between George Russell and Max Verstappen.Christian Horner has shown there’s no puppy love lost with Toto WolffCredit: https://www.instagram.com/christianhorner/Mercedes chief Wolff is caught up in the rowCredit: RexIt came as it emerged Verstappen will escape any punishment from the FIA over Russell’s allegations.Horner lapped it up in Friday’s press conference, revealing he is a huge fan of terriers and once owned four of them, while aiming a cheeky dig at the Mercedes chief’s surname.Two were even named Flavio and Bernie, presumably after former Renault boss Flavio Briatore and ex-F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone.The Red Bull boss, 51, who is married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell-Horner, said: “I love terriers, I think they are great dogs.READ MORE F1“I had four of them and a couple of Airedales, which is the king of the terriers.“I had a couple of West Highland terriers called Bernie and Flavio. And the good thing about a terrier is they’re tremendously loyal.“Bernie, he was an aggressive little dog, he’d go for anybody. Flavio, he was a bit more chilled and he probably ate a bit too much as well.“But I think to be called a terrier is that such a bad thing? They’re not afraid of having a go at the bigger dogs.Most read in MotorsportGeorge Russell and Max Verstappen are still at loggerheadsCredit: GettyHorner posted a pic of his terrier Bernie on Instagram later on to fan the flamesCredit: https://www.instagram.com/christianhorner/CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS“You know, rather be a terrier than a wolf.”Horner only continued to fan the flames by later posting an image of the terrier Bernie on his Instagram.’Full-time menace’ Lando Norris stokes flames in Verstappen vs Russell ‘head in the wall row’ with cheeky Instagram postRussell and Verstappen’s war of words has dominated the build-up to Formula 1’s final race of the year.But Wolff and Horner have been at each other’s throats for years and have provided several viral moments on the hit Netflix show Drive to Survive.The spat is giving F1 fans a reminder of the duo’s fierce conflict in 2021 when Lewis Hamilton missed out on a record eighth world title to Verstappen in the Abu Dhabi desert that year.As for whether he is worried that Verstappen and Russell’s feud could spill over onto the track this weekend, Horner added: “No, not at all.“Max, he’s a very straight shooter. He just tells you exactly how he sees it. He tells the truth exactly, what he feels.“Obviously he had a large amount of frustration last weekend. The way things played out in a scenario that we haven’t seen before and subsequent grid penalty.“He turned it into motivation and made a lightning start, led the race into the first corner, and won the Grand Prix, which is the best possible response.“Now, obviously, a lot’s been made of it Thursday. It is pantomime season, we’re getting ready for Christmas. There’s maybe an element of end of term blues there, but I don’t think it’ll have any effect.”With Hamilton set for his last race with Mercedes this weekend before joining Ferrari for the 2025 season, Horner said Wolff’s focus should be elsewhere.He added: “It needs to be about what you do on the track. I mean, there’s a sort of a love-hate relationship, where I think Toto loves to hate me.“It’s one of those things. I would have assumed he sort of got a bit more on his plate with obviously it’s Lewis’s last race for that team.Horner and wife Geri Horner are animal loversCredit: https://www.instagram.com/gerihalliwellhorner/“I think they should be celebrating that rather than focusing on other aspects.”Wolff, who gatecrashed Russell’s press conference on Thursday to slam Horner, also said that the Red Bull boss had been too “weak” to properly control Verstappen.Horner hit back at this and said: “Regarding Toto’s other comments, I’m not going to rise to the bait of that. Everybody manages themselves and their teams in different ways.“We’ve won 122 races. We’ve won 14 world championships. I think we’re doing alright.”Verstappen is set to escape any further punishment from the stewards despite allegedly saying he would put Russell’s “f***ing head in the wall” in Qatar.The stewards are not set to investigate the serious allegations that Russell dropped on Thursday ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi.The British 26-year-old claimed Verstappen threatened to put his “f****** head in the wall” by deliberately crashing into him at the Qatar Grand Prix last weekend.Mercedes star Russell also branded the four-time world champ a “bully” with the Dutchman hitting back by labelling him a “backstabber” and “loser”.Russell and Verstappen’s feud simmers away with the duo sitting on opposite ends of the table at the driver’s dinnerEyebrows have been raised over the FIA’s lack of intervention considering they recently clamped down so hard on swearing punishments.In Singapore, Red Bull’s Verstappen was ordered by FIA stewards to “accomplish some work of public interest” after dropping the F-bomb to describe his car.Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was fined for saying f*** in a post-race news conference in Mexico.Russell and Verstappen’s feud continues to simmer away with the duo sitting on opposite ends of the table at the driver’s dinner on Thursday night.Lewis Hamilton invited the drivers ahead of his last race at Mercedes, while his former teammate Valtteri Bottas got the bill.Norris wrote on Instagram: “2024 dinner! and yes, the two your thinking about were sat as far away from each other as possible.He followed the message with a crying laughing emoji and a smiling emoji while Verstappen commented with a steak emoji, alluding to the beef with Russell.READ MORE SUN STORIESVerstappen was all smiles yesterday, blocking out the drama to announce he is expecting a baby with partner Kelly Piquet.He said: “Mini Verstappen-Piquet on the way. We couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.” More

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      Inside very awkward F1 end-of-season dinner with Verstappen and Russell ‘sat as far away from each other as possible’

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      MAX Verstappen and George Russell were sat as “far away from each other as possible” during the F1 driver’s end-of-season dinner.The Red Bull and Mercedes pair have been locked in a bitter war of words with Russell accusing the four-time champ of being a “bully”.Lando Norris posted a cheeky Instagram post stoking the flames of Max Verstappen and George Russell’s feudVerstappen and Russell were sat on opposite ends of the tableVerstappen accused Russell of being two-facedBut Russell has responded by labelling Verstappen a ‘bully’ and accusing the Red Bull ace of threatening himRussell claimed that Verstappen threatened to purposefully go out of his way to crash into him and “put my f***ing head into the wall”. It reportedly occurred during a heated private exchange following a controversial decision from the stewards last week.World champ Verstappen was furious at being demoted a place from pole position for driving “unnecessarily slowly” as they prepared for their final flying laps in qualifying in Qatar.The Dutchman later accused the Brit of “exaggerating” and being two-faced for the evidence he gave to the stewards.READ MORE ON F1But the two were forced into close proximity in what was sure to be an awkward and tension-filled end-of-season dinner ahead of the final race weekend of the calendar in Abu Dhabi.In a post on Instagram, Norris confirmed the pair were kept away from each other to avoid any face-to-face conflict at the meal.The McLaren ace shared an image of all 20 drivers smiling at the camera alongside the caption: “2024 dinner! And yes, the two you’re thinking about were sat as far away from each other as possible.”In the comments, Verstappen hinted at the “beef” between himself and Russell by posting a steak emoji. Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe Mercedes driver shared the picture to his own accounts but made no reference to the elephant in the room, simply captioning it: “Class of 24.”Verstappen and Russell were all smiles in the image and were separated by five of their colleagues at the plush restaurant.Lewis Hamilton in awkward car journey with George Russell and Carlos Sainz after Las Vegas GPLewis Hamilton was tucked away in the corner next to Charles Leclerc, who will be his team-mate at Ferrari next season. And Russell shared an image of the dinner on his Instagram, where he revealed that former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas picked up the tab.Perhaps a loaded revelation, as tradition states that the world champ must foot the bill.Just hours earlier, Russell told reporters: “I find it all quite ironic considering Saturday night he said he’d purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and, quote, ‘Put my f***ing head in the wall.'”So to question somebody’s integrity as a person while saying comments like that the day before, I find very ironic.”I’m not going to sit here and accept it. People have been bullied by Max for years now.”And you can’t question his driving abilities but he cannot deal with adversity. Lewis stood up to him in 2021 and lost that championship unfairly.George Russell”Whenever anything has gone against him, Jeddah ‘21, Brazil ‘21, he lashes out.”For me, those comments on Saturday night and Sunday were totally disrespectful and unnecessary because what happens on track – we fight hard – it’s part of racing. “What happens in the stewards’ room, you fight hard, but it’s never personal.”He’s a four-time champion. Lewis is the champion I aspire to be – hard but fair; never beyond the line. We have a duty as drivers.”The meal, which was the last one to be organised by Hamilton as a Mercedes driver, is held every year to commemorate the end of the campaign ahead of the final race at the Yas Marina Circuit.Russell, 26, added: “The second he does not have the fastest car, he crashes into Lewis, slams his team and loses the plot.”Straight after, 25 per cent of his engineering team were sending CVs because they said they can’t deal with a guy like that.”Lewis stood up to him in 2021 and lost that championship unfairly.”Can you imagine Max losing the way Lewis lost it? [Former race director Michael] Masi would be fearing for his life.”READ MORE SUN STORIESVerstappen was crowned a four-time world champ after clinching the 2024 title with a fifth-placed finish at the Las Vegas GP, before winning in Qatar over the weekend.The 27-year-old has also just announced he is expecting a baby with partner Kelly Piquet.Verstappn and Piquet are expecting a babyCredit: GettyF1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBCHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

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      ‘Full-time menace’ Lando Norris stokes flames in Verstappen vs Russell ‘head in the wall’ row with cheeky Instagram post

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      LANDO NORRIS admitted he would like to see George Russell and Max Verstappen’s bitter war of words continue because it is “amusing”.Red Bull world champion Verstappen and Mercedes star Russell have been embroiled in a vicious war of words since last week’s Qatar Grand Prix.Lando Norris posted a cheeky Instagram post stoking the flames in Max Verstappen and George Russell’s war of wordsVerstappen accused Russell of being two-facedCredit: RexBut Russell has responded by labelling Verstappen a ‘bully’ and accusing him of threatening himCredit: RexVerstappen, 27, said he had “lost all respect” for the Brit and accused him of being two-faced after receiving a grid penalty by stewards following a complaint from Russell on a cool-down lap in qualifying.But Russell, 26, clapped back ahead of this weekend’s Abu Dhabi season finale by labelling the Dutchman a “bully” by threatening to put his “f****** head in the wall”.McLaren driver Norris was the last driver in the running against Verstappen for the driver’s title this season, while he also had his share of scraps with his compatriot on track this season.Off-track the 25-year-old is friendly with both and refused to be drawn into choosing sides between his Formula One rivals when speaking about the feud.READ MORE IN F1Instead, Norris was only looking out for himself and joked he wanted the beef to continue.Speaking to Sky Sports, he said while smirking: “I hope it doesn’t get smoothed out, I hope they stay fighting and arguing cause it’s amusing to watch.”Answering more seriously, Norris continued: “It depends, every driver has their own way of doing things.”I don’t think Max tries to intimidate, Max just says the truth in his opinion… People don’t like to hear the truth nowadays in life.Most read in MotorsportBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS”He’s honest and gives his opinion, I’m okay with that. Sometimes I disagree and sometimes I agree but that’s life.”I respect Max a lot and I respect George a lot but I don’t mind if they lose respect for one another.”Max Verstappen claims he has ‘lost all respect’ for F1 star George Russell in X-rated rantNorris also joked about the driver beef following the end-of-season driver’s dinner. He shared a picture of all 20 F1 drivers together after a dinner party and captioned the post: “2024 dinner! And yes, the two you’re thinking about were sat as far away from each other as possible.”Reacting to the post, one fan said: “Part-time F1 driver full-time menace.”A second said: “Lando giving us what he knows we all want.”A third added: “Lando what a Gossip girl!”Ex-F1 star David Coulthard said: “Dinner with a side serving of drama in the caption.”Verstappen also replied with an emoji of a cut of meat.While the driver’s title has concluded, the constructor’s championship has gone down to the wire, with McLaren holding a 21-point lead over Ferrari.READ MORE SUN STORIESOther news on the grid has seen Jack Doohan replace Esteban Ocon at Alpine for the final race of the season before he takes the seat next year.It is also Lewis Hamilton’s final race for Mercedes after an 11-year career with the team in F1 which yielded six world drivers titles and eight constructors championships.F1 2025 gridHere are the confirmed driver line ups for the F1 2025 season so far:Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Sergio PerezFerrari: Charles Leclerc and Lewis HamiltonMercedes: George Russell and Kimi AntonelliMcLaren: Lando Norris and Oscar PiastriAston Martin: Fernando Alonso and Lance StrollWilliams: Alex Albon and Carlos SainzSauber: Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel BortoletoAlpine: Pierre Gasly and Jack DoohanRB: Yuki Tsunoda and TBCHaas: Ollie Bearman and Esteban Ocon More

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      George Russell claims Max Verstappen threatened to crash into him and ‘put my f***ing head in the wall’

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      GEORGE RUSSELL dropped a bombshell accusation that Max Verstappen said he would “put his head in the f***ing wall” in Qatar.The ugly row between the Brit and the Red Bull driver has exploded into an all out war ahead of this weekend’s season finale in Abu Dhabi.George Russell has hit out at Max VerstappenCredit: GettyRussell has labelled Verstappen ‘violent’, ‘aggressive’ and a ‘bully’Credit: AFPVerstappen, right, was handed a one-place grid penalty in Qatar after he and Russell went before the stewardsCredit: GettyIt all started last time out in Qatar when Verstappen was hit with a one-place grid penalty after driving “unnecessarily slowly” and blocking Russell in qualifying.Despite qualifying in pole position for his first race as a four-time world champion, Verstappen was forced to start the race from second, although he went on to win it.Russell said: “I have known Max for a long time and I know what he is capable of and he said to me he is going to purposely go out of his way to crash into me and put my f***ing head in the wall.”I knew that was a bit of a heat in the moment thing but when I went to see him the next day in the driver’s parade I saw in his eyes that he means it.READ MORE IN F1″He is a four time world champion and when I compare his actions to Lewis Hamilton, Lewis is the sort of world champion that I aspire to be like. The way he fought Max in 2021, hard and fair but never beyond the line.”I’ve got an eight-year-old nephew who has just started go karting, who watches all of my races.”For a world champion to be saying he’s going to go out of his way to crash into someone and put them on their eff-ing head that is not the sort of role models we should be.”Verstappen has been involved with a number of spats this season, including in Budapest in July when he crashed into Hamilton and fought with his own team on the radio.Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSRussell added: “The second he does not have the fastest car, Budapest for example. He crashes into Lewis, slams his whole team and he loses the plot.”Straight away after that race 25 percent of his engineering team were sending their CV’s to Mercedes, McLaren and Aston Martin because they said they can’t deal with a guy like that.Max Verstappen chokes back tears as he thanks Red Bull on team radio after winning fourth F1 world title”Lewis stood up to him in 2021, and Lewis lost that championship unfairly. Could you imagine the roles being reversed? I mean, [Michael] Masi would be fearing for his life.”Verstappen doubled down on his scathing attack of the Mercedes driver, calling him a “backstabber” and a “loser”.The Dutchman also accused the Mercedes driver of “lying” to influence the stewards’ decision to penalise him.Verstappen said: “No [I have no regrets]. I meant every word. I’ve never experienced anything like that from the stewards.”I found his behaviour really unacceptable.”It has nothing to do with him being head of the drivers’ association [Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, of which Russell is a director]. He simply lied about what he was or wasn’t doing, and certainly influenced the stewards.”He’s backstabber. You shouldn’t talk too much about people like that, because they’re just losers.”READ MORE SUN STORIESMercedes boss Toto Wolff crashed Russell’s press conference, dubbing Christian Horner a “yapping little terrier” after the Red Bull boss called the Brit “hysterical”.SunSport has approached the FIA for a comment on Russell’s accusation but they are yet to respond. More