At the 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, they blamed each other for a collision which forced both drivers out of t💧he🐠 race.

Tensions were especially fraught because then-Williams driver Russell was hoping to succeed Bottas a♋t Mercedes, which did eventually happen at the end of 2021.

"I did give him a phone call,” Russell told about the crash i𝓀n Italy.

“He didn’t answer.

"My message was: 'Give me a call when you𝕴 have a mo♚ment'. 

“But we've never spoken ab♛outꦯ that crash, ever. 

“We've never spoken about me joining Mercede🅰s. We'veꦜ never spoken about any of that. 

“We often have normal chats with not a single ounce of awkwardness. It's just part of the business, part of the🌠 job and it's never personal."

Months after the crash, Mercedes c♕onfirmed that Russell wou𝓡ld replace Bottas as Lewis Hamilton’s teammate for 2022.

Russell and B🌞ottas’ tetchy history dates back to 2020 when the young Brit was a one-race replacement for the unwell Hamilton at the Sakhir Grand Prix.

Russell, driving a Mercedes for the first time, overtook Bo🌌ttas in a major si♒gn of intent.

He later claimed it was one of the most imporꦏtant manoeu♚vres of his career: "Because of how much that meant given the circumstances. 

“The fact I was trying to ꦍjump in that Merce𓆏des, and there wasn't a better chance for me to prove what I could do."