George Russell has taken a cheeky dig at Max Verstappen following the Dutchman’s bold comments ruling out a Formula 1 return to the Nürburgring Nordschleife, branding the iconic circuit “far too dangerous” for modern F1 racing.

Verstappen, who recently tested a Ferrari 296 GT3 at the legendary German venue under the pseudonym Franz Hermann, told Formule 1 Magazine that the idea of racing a modern F1 car at the Nordschleife is completely off the table.

“That’s really not going to happen with the Formula 1 cars we have now, I’m afraid,” Verstappen said. “With GT3 speed it is okay and still doable. I’ve seen old footage of F1 on the Nordschleife. One thing is for sure: F1 there, that will never happen again. Far too dangerous.”

But those comments didn’t go unnoticed in the Mercedes garage.

George Russell, who has emerged as one of Verstappen’s fiercest rivals in 2025, took the opportunity to fire a light-hearted jab at the reigning World Champion’s caution.

“Looks like Max finally found a track that scares him,” Russell told reporters with a grin. “I mean, it’s the Green Hell — it’s supposed to be scary. But if you ask me, fear has no place in a champion’s mindset. Maybe we’ve finally found his kryptonite.”

Russell’s remarks come at a time when the rivalry between the two is heating up both on and off the track. After taking victory at the Canadian Grand Prix, Russell closed the gap to Verstappen in the championship standings, while Red Bull’s failed protests have only added to the tension between both camps.

While Verstappen remains focused on his title charge — currently sitting third in the standings behind Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris — his refusal to entertain the idea of returning to the Nordschleife has stirred plenty of debate in the paddock.

Whether or not F1 ever returns to the ‘Green Hell’ remains to be seen. But one thing is clear — for Russell, the mental battle has already begun.