George Russell said he has "no intention" of speaking to Max Verstappen to clear the air ahead of the upcoming 2025 Formula One season. 

Verstappen was unhappy about the role Russell played in the Red Bull driver being given a one-place penalty, which demoted him from pole position at the Qatar Grand Prix last year. 

The Dutchman, who went on to win the race at the Lusail International Circuit, slammed the Mercedes driver afterwards, saying he had "lost all respect" for the Briton. 

Russell hit back at Verstappen's comments, claiming the four-time world champion "cannot deal with adversity". 

The Mercedes driver confirmed at the F1 75 event at London's O2 Arena on Tuesday that he and Verstappen had not spoken over the winter.

"I've got no intentions [to], to be honest," the Mercedes driver said in an interview with BBC Sport.

"That happened last year. I want to focus on myself. Things got out of line last year. That was then. We are not going to go back to being best mates, that's for sure."

The many faces of George Russell #F175LIVE pic.twitter.com/Qxnfdqb2GJ

— Formula 1 (@F1) February 18, 2025

Asked whether he had concerns about the situation, Russell said: "No concerns about him or his driving. I am not going to change my approach to fighting him or other drivers."

Russell also expressed his opinions about the decision by the FIA to codify a system that could lead to drivers being banned for swearing or criticising race officials.

Changes to the FIA's sporting code for the 2025 season set out the steps to a potential race ban for drivers deemed guilty of such offences.

Last year, Verstappen was ordered to do a form of motorsport community service after swearing during a news conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.

And Russell, who is a director of F1 drivers' body the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), said: "It's going quite far. As drivers, we have to continue to show our personalities. We don't want to be in a bubble. That's pretty obvious.

"There is merit in saying you shouldn't swear in an environment like this [a news conference].

"But when it's not your first language, the first words you get taught are the swear words."

At the weekend, world rally driver Adrien Fourmaux became the first driver punished under the new ruling.

The Hyundai driver was fined €10,000 and hit with a further suspended €20,000 fine for using "inappropriate language" during a World Rally Championship television interview.