Russell and Verstappen separated as three F1 drivers snub annual dinner

The 2024 Formula 1 drivers sat down for their annual dinner on Thursday evening and, as expected, Max Verstappen and George Russell were at opposite ends of the table.

Not even within sight to prevent it from going bad, Lando Norris saw the funny side of F1’s latest feud.

But did Max Verstappen pay for George Russell’s meal?

The Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix kicked off with fireworks at Thursday’s media day, as neither Russell nor Verstappen fared well after their Qatar dispute.

“I have known Max for a long time and I know what he is capable of. And you know, he told me he was deliberately going to do everything possible to crush me, ‘put me on my fucking head into the wall,'” Russell told media outlets, including PlanetF1.com.

“I knew it was kind of the hot moment, but when I went to see him the next day at the drivers’ parade, Checo was there, Carlos was there, and we were joking a little bit, you know, I saw in his eyes that he really meant it.

Verstappen denied this, telling Dutch media: “It’s already wrong, I didn’t say that. He tries to flesh it out again.

“You know what I can’t stand either? For him to attack me in an unacceptable way against the stewards, then come running back a day later as if nothing had happened and slap me on the shoulders.

Hours later, the rivals were sitting at the same table as the drivers marked the end of a grueling 2024 campaign.

But, as Norris cheekily pointed out, they weren’t sitting next to each other. They weren’t even within sight.

The McLaren driver posted a photo of the dinner on Instagram, with the caption: “Dinner 2024! and yes, the two you are thinking of were sitting as far away from each other as possible.

Verstappen liked it.

Neither Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso nor Lance Stroll attended the dinner while Kevin Magnussen was also absent, as was new F1 driver Jack Doohan.

However, Esteban Ocon, the driver he replaces at Alpine for the last race of the season, joined the 2024 class for the end-of-year meal.

As for who paid the bill or whether they were split checks, the drivers wouldn’t say. In the past, it was up to the season’s world champion to foot the bill, but last year Max Verstappen was not present because he had a prior commitment.

Former Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg previously took to social media to inform fans of the secret decision, saying: “The hidden deal is usually that the world champion pays.”

But it is doubtful whether Verstappen would have offered Russell a free meal.

“We don’t have to be best friends,” he said Thursday. “That’s not why I’m here, to be best friends with him.” That’s not my goal in the paddock, so I don’t care. “Especially if someone acts like that towards you in front of the stewards.” I’ve been done with him for a while.

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