Max Verstappen said he ejected a British journalist from his Suzuka media session because he felt a “massive lack of respect” about a question at the end of last season.
The Red Bull driver refused to start his usual written media session on Thursday until the journalist — The Guardian’s Giles Richards — left the team hospitality, saying “I’m not speaking before he’s leaving,” and repeatedly saying “get out.”
Verstappen had been upset with a question Richards had put to him after the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December over an incident the four-time world champion had with Mercedes driver George Russell.
Verstappen, angry at a penalty and an early clash with Russell, drove into the side of Russell’s car, earning himself a 10-second penalty which dropped him from fifth to 10th and cost him nine championship points, which appeared to have been a costly moment in how his title fight with Lando Norris ended up.
That particular question went: “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?”
Verstappen’s reply was: “You forget all the other stuff that happened in my season. The only thing you mention is Barcelona. I knew that would come. You’re giving me a stupid grin now. I don’t know. “Yeah, it’s part of racing at the end. You live and learn. The championship is one of 24 rounds. I’ve also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me in the second half, so you can also question that.”
Speaking to Dutch broadcaster ViaPlay on Friday ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Verstappen spoke on it further.
He appeared to elaborate on his perception of the journalist’s “stupid grin,” claiming Richards was “laughing in my face” when he put the question to him.
Asked to explain why he kicked the journalist out, Verstappen said: “For me, that particular question I think I’ve answered like 20 times with different people. So it’s not about the question. I always explain it very well with the thought process and what happened back then.
“But after the final race, when you ask that question and you start laughing in my face while asking the question, and it’s clearly done with bad intent to ask the question at that point, it shows a massive lack of respect.
“So, for me, when you’re not respectful towards me I don’t need to be respectful towards you. I think that’s how it works in life, very straightforward, very simple. And that’s why I did that. That’s why I did it here on Thursday. For me, it’s not correct.
“I have a lot of respect for everyone. I get asked a lot of questions, a lot of stupid questions as well, but I answer them. It’s not always that a question is great or whatever, that’s part of Formula 1. But this particular case it was clearly done with bad intent.
“Of course, at that time in Abu Dhabi, you only see the camera pointed at my face, so you don’t see what is behind the camera and how people ask questions. For me it was very clear it was done in a very disrespectful way.”
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Asked if he will sit with the journalist to clear the air, Verstappen shook his head. “Not now,” he said.
Richards wrote about the ejection in the Guardian on Thursday.
On the suggestion he was grinning or laughing at Verstappen, he wrote: “I’m not sure I had a stupid grin. I was certainly taken aback by the vehemence of his reply and it might have prompted a nervous smile. But I did not think it was funny, nor was I enjoying myself at his expense.”
Verstappen has history with members of the British media and has repeatedly stressed he feels that he receives biased coverage from them — something he felt was especially true during and after his 2021 title fight with Lewis Hamilton.
On this, Richards wrote: “The incident and fallout are a shame nonetheless. Not least for the accusations of bias. Over the years I’ve been accused of anti-Lewis Hamilton, anti-Sebastian Vettel, anti-you-name-the-driver bias. Reporting as honestly and fairly as possible is always the single overarching aim.
“I still admire Verstappen and I hope we can enjoy a better relationship in the future. Sometimes, difficult, awkward questions have to be asked. That’s the job that comes with the privilege.”
ESPN understands Red Bull have been in contact with Richards to attempt to mediate the situation.
Asked by ViaPlay on Friday if he will sit down with Richards, Verstappen said “not now”, in a way which suggested he might be open to it down the line.
