George Russell says Max Verstappen’s antics in his battle with Lando Norris at the Mexican Grand Prix went “beyond entertaining or beyond sporting”.

Formula 1’s rules of engagement became a major talking point this month as title rivals Verstappen and Norris went wheel-to-wheel at the United States Grand Prix and then again in Mexico.

George Russell: It’s just almost unfair to a point now

Additional reporting by Elizabeth Blackstock

It’s led to penalties; one for Norris and two for Verstappen.

Norris was penalised in Austin for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, but that was reduced to a five-second penalty with the stewards citing Verstappen’s part as he forced them both off the track and Norris tried to overtake around the outside.

One week later Verstappen was penalised for two lap 10 incidents in Mexico as he forced Norris off the track at Turn 4 before he too was penalised for leaving the track and gaining an advantage.

But unlike Norris’ penalty, Verstappen left the track at Turn 7 under his own steam – forcing Norris off in the process – and therefore he received the usual 10-second penalty.

It’s the Turn 7 incident that’s earned widespread condemnation as the point where Verstappen drove off the track and forced Norris off with him was close to a pinch-point wall. It was “plain dangerous” according to former F1 driver Martin Brundle.

Speaking about his own wheel-to-wheel battle at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez against his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, Russell said while the seven-time World Champion was fair in combat, others weren’t.

“It was nice to have the battle and it’s always good when you fight with Lewis because it’s hard and fair,” Russell told the media including PlanetF1.com.

“At the moment you’re seeing a number of manoeuvres that are just… it’s getting beyond entertaining or beyond sporting, it’s just almost unfair to a point now.”

He made it clear that he was speaking about Verstappen’s antics against Norris, adding: “You can argue the first one was maybe 60-40. The last one, I’ve not seen anything like that since probably Brazil [2021].”

Russell was pleased to see that the stewards penalised Verstappen.

“I’m glad to see those incidents were punished today,” he added.

“I’m glad to see those incidents were punished and I suspect moving forward in Brazil what we saw today and what we saw last week, you won’t be able to get away with.”

The drivers started the Mexican Grand Prix weekend in a “lively” conversation about driving standards at the drivers’ briefing after which it was revealed new guidelines will be issued in the coming weeks.

Verstappen arrives in Brazil for the final part of the triple-header with a 47 point lead in the Drivers’ Championship over Norris.