Max Verstappen makes ‘Princess George’ dig in George Russell war of words

• F1 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Sprint Race Results

The Red Bull driver was overheard calling his Mercedes counterpart a “a d***head” after they made contact during the sprint race at the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Russell later suggested he was surprised by Verstappen’s anger which has drawn another fiery response.

"[Defending the position] is not allowed because ‘Princess George’ is there? At the end of the day, that's his problem too,” raged Verstappen.

He suggested that Red Bull’s performance advantage over Mercedes meant that Russell should not have defended so strongly: "Things can also go wrong very quickly. 

“There is no chance. I am driving past him easily within three laps anyway. This does not make much sense.

"Everyone has their own opinion. But I think I gave him space and then he should also just take that corner normally.

"If you bump into each other with the wheels sometimes that can happen.

“That's not ideal either, but if you [cause] a hole [for] someone else, that's a bit more than just with the wheels against each other."

Verstappen said what he might have done, if the roles were reversed: “I have no idea what to do but he will expect me just to brake and say, ‘Please, go by!’

“But that’s definitely not going to happen.”

Verstappen said about his original ‘d****head’ insult: “ I meant it at that moment. 

“If he says: ‘that was not the intention, that hole', again that says something. 

“But his reaction? 'Look at the onboards'? 'Cold tyres'? Yes, we all have cold tyres."

"This is just a bit clumsy.”