Verstappen Ejects Journalist from Press Conference in Suzuka
In an incident that has generated controversy, Max Verstappen, the renowned Formula 1 driver, asked a British journalist to leave his press conference prior to the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka. Verstappen’s decision was directly related to a question asked by the journalist at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix the previous year.
The world champion, known for his determination on the track, refused to start the briefing until the journalist, Giles Richards of The Guardian, left the Red Bull hospitality area. “I won’t speak until he leaves,” Verstappen stated, urging him to “leave.”
The root of the dispute lies in a question asked during the press conference after the Abu Dhabi race, which subsequently went viral.
Journalist: “Max, you lost out to Lando by just two points. What do you think now about the incident with George Russell in Spain? Do you regret that looking back in hindsight?”
Exchange in the press conference
The incident at the press conference, which took place four months ago, was the trigger for Verstappen’s action.
The journalist, when confronted by Verstappen, was urged to leave the room, which ultimately happened after a tense exchange. “Go away. Yes. Go away,” were the final words of the driver.
After the journalist’s departure, Verstappen declared: “Now we can start”.
In an article, Richards expressed his “deep disappointment” at Verstappen’s decision and was surprised by the “vehemence of his response.” His colleagues in the press were “universally shocked” and expressed their concern.
This is not Verstappen’s first conflict with the media, especially the British. In 2018, he threatened to “headbutt” someone after being questioned about his reputation for having accidents.
In 2022, he boycotted Sky Sports F1 in Mexico due to “disrespectful” coverage. After winning his fourth world title in Qatar in 2024, Verstappen commented: “The problem in F1 is that 80 to 85% of the media are British. And I felt that some things that were written about me were not fair.”
