Max Verstappen's furious George Russell outburst in Azerbaijan after Mercedes crash

Racing fans will be holding their breath in Baku this weekend as Max Verstappen and George Russell return to the location of one of their most heated early clashes. The Formula 1 pair became fierce adversaries after several charged confrontations in recent campaigns and may spark more drama as they head into Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix sat alongside each other in the championship table.

It was in April 2023 that Russell and Verstappen collided in the sprint race at that year's Azerbaijan GP. The Mercedes star damaged Verstappen's Red Bull at Turn 2 while overtaking him for third in qualifying.

Verstappen ultimately bounced back to reclaim his place and secure third on the grid. However, the row was far from over as the Dutch driver was eager to express his anger.

Russell climbed out of his vehicle while explaining the incident occurred because of poor tyre grip. Yet Verstappen showed no mercy in his reply: "Mate, we all have no grip. You need to leave a bit of space."

Taking it a step further, Verstappen seemed to hint he'd be seeking payback for the collision. He warned his rival to "expect next time the same" before branding Russell a "d******d" as he stormed off.

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At that point, Verstappen had triumphed in two of the season's first three races in 2023 and was scrapping for a third triumph in Baku. Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez would ultimately secured victory in the Sunday encounter, with Verstappen trailing close behind in second and Russell languishing in eighth.

Despite their clashing temperaments, Russell was in no frame of mind to retreat when faced with hostility. And he delivered Verstappen a clear signal that he wouldn't be intimidated into yielding, regardless of whether the Dutchman occupied the championship summit or not.

"We are here to fight," the Briton told journalists following the race. "I was surprised and didn't expect that reaction. The moves were all on. If the roles were reversed I am sure he would have done exactly the same. We know the risks and hopefully he's learned the risks today."

Earlier this year, Verstappen was slapped with a 10-second penalty when officials ruled he had deliberately steered his car into Russell's Mercedes during the Spanish GP. It seemed as though the four-time world champion eased off his accelerator to allow Russell past, only to speed up again at the corner and collide with his rival.

This all played out roughly six months following another close call during qualifying at the 2024 Qatar GP. Once more, Verstappen decelerated in front of Russell's vehicle and was docked one grid spot as punishment.

Russell, 27, has previously branded Verstappen a "bully" who intimidates those within the sport from challenging him. Nevertheless, he acknowledged his rival's apology following their clash in Spain.

The battle could prove even more intense in Baku this weekend, with Verstappen and Russell occupying third and fourth in the drivers' standings, respectively. The Red Bull ace might be hungrier than ever for victory after his Italian GP triumph ended a four-month barren spell.