The last Formula 1 drivers’ dinner of 2023 turned into an awkward comedy show when George Russell refused to sit next to rival Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi.
Liam Lawson, who was there that night, couldn’t help but laugh while sharing what went down. "It was f** funny," he said on the Pitstop podcast.
The scene started with just a handful of drivers at a big table. Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda showed up together, joining about six others who were already there.
As more drivers filtered in, something interesting started happening. Everyone seemed to be avoiding the seats next to Verstappen.
"Opposite me was Max, and there were three empty chairs to the left at the end of the table," Lawson explained. The drivers thought it would be hilarious to save one of those spots for Russell, who was still on his way.
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for.
Russell walked in and got a warm welcome from the group. Verstappen even played along, calling out "Mate, we’ve saved a seat for you!"
What happened next left everyone stunned.
Without saying a word, Russell grabbed his chair and moved it all the way to the other end of the table to sit with Lewis Hamilton instead.
"We were all like, ‘Oh my god,’" Lawson recalled. "We thought this was going to be funny, but it wasn’t funny. Well, kind of funny for us."
The cold shoulder was complete – Russell didn’t say another word to Verstappen all night. He’d made his rounds greeting everyone else at the table first, but when it came to that saved seat? He just grabbed it and walked away.
The tension between Russell and Verstappen had been building after some heated moments during the season, and this dinner scene showed just how deep that rivalry runs.
