Max Verstappen and George Russell have been at odds for quite some time, and it doesn’t seem like they’re ready to let things go.

The tension between the reigning Formula One champion and the British Mercedes driver has been simmering for over a year, with no truce in sight.

Their feud escalated following last year’s Qatar Grand Prix when Russell labeled Verstappen “a bully.”

The comment came after Verstappen was penalized for impeding Russell during the race, and the Dutchman didn’t take the accusation lightly.

A War of Words

Russell didn’t hold back, claiming, “People have been bullied by Max for years now.”

In response, Verstappen fired back, calling Russell “a backstabber” and dismissing him as “a loser.”

Their verbal jabs have only fueled their ongoing rivalry, making it clear that neither driver is willing to back down.

With the drama still lingering, Verstappen was asked about the situation after the Australian Grand Prix.

His response was blunt: “No, it’s still shockingly bad.”

Though he attempted to downplay the issue by adding, “It’s all good, it’s all good,” his tone suggested otherwise.

Russell, amused by Verstappen’s comments, simply echoed, “What he said,” but later reaffirmed his stance, stating, “I wasn’t going to just stand and be bullied around.”

He also made it clear that he refuses to back down, emphasizing that he’s in Formula One to win, not to make friends.

Verstappen’s Focus on Racing

Despite the ongoing rivalry, Verstappen remained focused on his performance during the Australian Grand Prix, where he finished second.

While he didn’t take the top spot, he was content with his result.

“It was a difficult race, of course,” Verstappen told Sky Sports.

“Lando had a little moment on entry into [turn] six, so he lost a lot of momentum there.

That’s how I got close and got the DRS. I got close, but it’s very hard to pass around here.”

He also acknowledged that his car performed better than expected, despite initial concerns in the off-season.

“You can see in the first stint we were lacking a little bit of pace compared to the McLaren, but it’s still 18 points more than what I had here last year.”

What’s Next?

With tensions still high between Verstappen and Russell, the rivalry is far from over.

As the Formula One season progresses, all eyes will be on their next encounter on the track.

Will they eventually move past their differences, or will their feud continue to escalate?

Time will tell, but one thing is certain—neither driver is willing to back down.