Russell surprised Verstappen 'tried to hold it' around Turn 2

©Mercedes

George Russell absolved himself of any wrongdoing in his scrap with Max Verstappen at the start of Saturday's Sprint event in Baku that led to a coming together between the two drivers.

The contact occurred as the pair entered Turn 2 side-by-side, with Russell on the inside. Mid-corner, the Mercedes hit the Red Bull's left sidepod, tearing a hole in its flank.

After the race, a frustrated Verstappen confronted Russell in parc ferme, and pointed to the damage on his car.

But the Briton felt that the championship leader – who had more to lose – shouldn't have tried to force the issue and was the one who should have backed out of the wheel-to-wheel fight.

"I mean I was down the inside, and I think as a driver you know the risks when you're on the outside. I'm here to fight, and I'm here to win," Russell told Sky Sports F1.

"I'm not gonna hold back just because he's leading the championship.

"I was quite surprised he was still trying to hold it around the outside, it's on a street circuit. He's got a lot more to lose than I have.

"None of the contact was intentional, I was doing my best just to have a clean fight but, as I said, I was quite surprised that he was kind of resistant to position.

"I was on the inside, and nothing more to say than that really."

Read also: Verstappen fumes over Russell contact and damage in Sprint

Russell reckoned that Verstappen had made a fuss for nothing, and should have known better given his level of experience.

"I was surprised at why he was so angry to be honest, he still finished in P3," he added.

"He's got enough experience to know that if you're trying to overtake a guy on the outside, there's a risk that the guy on the inside is gonna run wide into you.

"I don't think anything would have been any different had the positions been reversed."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.