Verstappen vs Russell: The rivalry F1 fans deserve?

That all changed when Max Verstappen and George Russell came to blows, reigniting their feud, much to the relief of many fans.

At face value, you could argue this season hasn’t been too shabby. With the exception of the debacle at Monaco, there have been plenty of on-track scraps. In qualifying, you could throw a blanket over the leaders as well—and the backmarkers have often been under a second behind.

Much like Fernando Alonso in 2012, Verstappen is also dragging an uncompetitive car into contention, and for now, we seem on course for our first three-horse title race in a while.

However, ‘Papaya Rules’ have kept the McLarens from coming to blows. Lando Norris’ obsession with looking in the mirror rather than at his competitors has also removed the fuel needed for any fiery row to emerge. Frankly, until Catalunya, it seemed like everyone was playing happy families. That’s all well and good for those out front, but what about the fans?

All great title battles turn feisty at some point. After all, there’s an F1 championship on the line. Being champion is everything these drivers have ever dreamt of. That’s why there should be fireworks—they should be absolutely desperate to win. Thankfully, Verstappen and Russell were all too happy to play this out in Spain. And it was glorious.

Russell & Verstappen weren’t exactly besties before they clashed in Barcelona. As long ago as 2023, Verstappen branded the Brit a “d!ckhead” after they squabbled for the podium in Baku. Fast-forward to the 2024 race in Qatar, and the Dutchman was demoted a place for impeding Russell in qualifying.

Verstappen’s claims of exaggeration to the officials were waved away by Russell, who accused him of threatening to “put his head in the f@cking wall.” Clearly, no love has been lost since then. Just as the pair seemed to be making up, Verstappen lost his cool in Spain, appearing to drive straight into Russell after Red Bull asked him to give up the place.

Okay, it’s possible to see this little skirmish as a bit farcical. But the race had been a bit of a snoozefest up until that point. Their clash brought a much-needed spark to the proceedings.

Arguably, the same kind of tension would be brilliant for this year’s title fight. Our latest clash had echoes of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel’s big moment in 2017, when things got very testy at Baku. Imagine if Norris wasn’t too frightened to lose his friendship with Verstappen and showed him a wheel instead. It could be a fight for the ages. A real rumble in the jungle.

Better yet, if Papaya Rules were suspended, Norris and Oscar Piastri would be free to go toe-to-toe. A rerun of the Mercedes war between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg would also be box office.

Again, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some fans will be pleased with what we’ve seen so far this season. But the over-friendliness of F1’s current crop is almost certainly removing some entertainment value for fans—just a brief look at the sport’s history tells you that.

Every single all-time great season has been headlined by at least one major rivalry. Ayrton Senna vs. Alain Prost, Michael Schumacher vs. Mika Hakkinen, Hamilton vs. Verstappen. The tension around these fantastic battles for supremacy dominated coverage in their respective eras.

Ultimately, many of us are only fans because of these famous rivalries. And there’s no doubt F1 flourishes when they capture the imagination of the wider public, broadening its appeal.

Though they can appear aggressive on-screen, these battles don’t necessarily have to be disrespectful either. Sure, Schumacher definitely wanted to punch David Coulthard at Spa in 1998. Verstappen had his own moment with Esteban Ocon at Sao Paolo in 2018.

But many of F1’s greatest ever rivalries later cooled, ending in foes becoming friends. As immortalized in the movie Rush, Niki Lauda and James Hunt are a prime example of this. It was the respect gained from their on-track battles that turned these great rivals into lifelong friends.

The good news is F1 2025 is far from a dead rubber. We’re less than halfway through the season—there’s plenty of time for things to change. With Russell and Verstappen coming together once again, their re-emerging rivalry could also be a catalyst for things to come.

Red Bull’s current inability to give Verstappen a title-challenging car has seen him drop into the clutches of Mercedes and Ferrari in recent rounds. If he continues to fall further behind Norris and Piastri, the red mist could descend for the Dutchman again in future races.

If this comes to pass, the McLaren boys will also be left to compete with each other for their first-ever driver’s crown. How long before the gloves come off between the pair? Norris vs. Piastri has continually simmered without boiling over. McLaren CEO Zak Brown seems to think it’s only a matter of time before they clash—here’s hoping that he’s right!

This year’s title battle continues at this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix from June 13-15. Stay tuned to GrandPrix247 for full coverage and to see if we (finally) get a respite from Papaya Rules.