Max Verstappen has hit back at George Russell after the Mercedes driver labelled the four-time world champion a 'bully' ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The Dutchman ripped into Russell after the race in Qatar, expressing his frustration with the Brit's 'two-faced' approach to handling their qualifying run-in.
Verstappen ultimately received a one-place grid penalty following a heated trip to the stewards' room.
Russell fired back in spectacular fashion on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.
"I find it all quite ironic seeing as Saturday night he said he was going to purposefully go out of his way to crash into me and 'Put me on my f***ing head in the wall'," he said.
"So to question somebody's integrity as a person, while saying comments like that the day before, I find is very ironic, and 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.
"Whenever anything has gone against him -- Jeddah '21, Brazil '21 -- he lashes out. Budapest this year, the very first race the car wasn't dominant, crashing into Lewis, slamming his team."
Verstappen, however, denies Russell's comments about a pre-race threat in Qatar.
"That's not true, I didn't say it like that," he told Dutch media in Abu Dhabi. "He's trying to exaggerate it again.
"Do you know what else I can't stand? That he attacks me in an unacceptable way with the stewards and then comes back a day later as if nothing is wrong and slaps me on the shoulder.
"Then I think: stay away for a while. He makes up all kinds of things that aren't true. With me you always get the same: here, at home, with the stewards; I don't change.
You can't say that about everyone. But I'm not surprised by that with him."
Verstappen and Russell will both have a chance to settle their differences on track at the Yas Marina Circuit this weekend.
As explained by Oscar Piastri on Thursday, all four of the top teams are expected to be in the fight for victory as the Constructors' Championship title battle goes down to the wire.
