George Russell said "someone needs to stand up a bully like this" as his ugly row with Max Verstappen from the Qatar Grand Prix escalated.

Red Bull driver Verstappen qualified fastest in Qatar but was later demoted a spot after being given a rare grid penalty for driving unnecessarily slowly and impeding Mercedes' Russell in qualifying.

Four-time world champion Verstappen later said he had "lost all respect" for the British driver, accusing Russell of essentially setting out to earn him a demotion in the stewards room.

Russell has now reacted to the explosive comments in an interview with Sky Sports ahead of the season-ending Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi and accused the Dutchman of threatening to intentionally crash into him in an X-rated retort.

"What he was doing was pretty clear. He was going too slow. He was on the racing line, and we all had the rules to follow, and he didn't follow it," Russel began.

"I find his comments pretty ironic when he comes out and says 'I'm going to purposely crash into you, I'm going to put you on your f****** head in the wall'.

"For me, that is unacceptable, and he's gone beyond the line here, and I'm not going to accept it.

"So somebody's got to stand up to a guy like this before it gets out of control."

From waiting for your autograph as a 10 year old to being teammates for 3 years. It’s been an honour mate!! @LewisHamilton pic.twitter.com/0KEb07qgOR
— George Russell (@GeorgeRussell63) December 5, 2024

Verstappen is reported to have denied the allegation to the Dutch media.

Russell added when asked what further steps he would want to take: "I don't want to go to the stewards' office.

"I had no intention of bringing this up. He said this to me on Saturday night and I woke up on Sunday morning feeling fine. But to come out of those press interviews saying that I'm two-faced, I'm the f-word, and this and that, he's taking this personal.

"What happens on track is professional, what happens in the stewards' is professional, and like Carlos [Sainz] said to him on Sunday morning, 'you would have done the exact same thing'.

"On Sunday in the race he lifted for a yellow, Lando [Norris, who received a penalty which took him out of the fight for the race victory] doesn't lift for a yellow, and he says to the team 'check what Lando does'.

"That's not personal against Lando, that is just racing. I've known Max for 12 years. I respected him all this time, but now I have lost respect for him. We are all fighting on track, and it's never personal," he added.

"Now he's made it personal and someone needs to stand up to a bully like this - and so far people are letting him get away with murder."