Billy McGinty, Sky Sports head of Formula 1, visited Red Bull‘s Milton Keynes headquarters on Monday in an attempt to work out a solution to the team’s boycott of the broadcaster, the result of which is a lifting of team access restrictions for Sky, much to the apparent irritation of F1 champion Max Verstappen. 

During a somewhat satirical piece in Austin Kravitz had referred to Lewis Hamilton as being “robbed” of a win in Abu Dhabi 2021 and ultimately his 8th Drivers’ world title.

Whilst commentators have pointed out Kravitz did not accuse Red Bull or Max Verstappen of robbing Lewis there were insinuations that the Dutch driver could not have won either of his F1driver titles other than in controversial circumstances.

Kravitz said in his satirical piece about a fairytale script for the up coming Brad Pitt movie saying:

“[Hamilton] doesn’t win a race all year, and then finally comes back at a track where he could win the first race all year, battling the same guy who won the race he was robbed in the previous year, and manages to finish ahead of him.

“What a script and a story that would have been.

“But that’s not the way the script turned out today, was it?

“Because the guy that beat him after being robbed actually overtook him, because he’s got a quicker car, because of engineering and Formula One and design, and pretty much because of [Adrian Newey, Red Bull’s chief technical officer] over there.”

Brundle hits back at Red Bull

Surprisingly Martin Brundle has eased into the row defending his co-presenter Kravitz.

For the avoidance of doubt my friend and colleague for the past 26 years @tedkravitz has my full support. Face to face dialogue is the only way to sort out issues and disputes in the relentless crucible of the F1 paddock. We all have opinions and different jobs to do, that’s life

— Martin Brundle (@MBrundleF1) November 1, 2022

“For the avoidance of doubt my friend and colleague for the past 26 years Ted Kravitz has my full support,” he posted on Twitter.

“Face to face dialogue is the only way to sort out issues and disputes in the relentless crucible of the F1 paddock. We all have opinions and different jobs to do, that’s life.”

Yet following the thrilling Abu Dhabi 2021 finale Martin wrote in his Sky column, “Does Max deserve the championship? Of course he does.”

“He led 652 laps compared with Lewis’ 303 laps. He departed 15 of the 22 races leading the championship including the last seven. He won 10 races compared to eight for Lewis (yes I know, we’ll get onto that shortly), and it was 18 podiums playing 17.”

“And he didn’t have the best of luck along the way, until the last few miles of course.”

Verstappen ends interview boycott

Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen has ended his short interview boycott against the British TV channel “Sky”, although with some irritation according to the paddock.

“Yes, we have drawn a line. We’re moving on and I’m looking forward to it,” the Red Bull driver replied with a very short answer to a question before the penultimate race of the season in São Paulo.

Verstappen had explained his move a fortnight ago at the Mexican Grand Prix. According to him, he felt disrespected by a reporter of the British team of rights holder “Sky” and therefore did not give interviews.

“At a certain point, enough is enough,” the two-time world champion had said. Verstappen is said to have been angered by, among other things, comments about last season’s controversial Formula One finale in Abu Dhabi.

MORE F1 NEWS: Ex-F1 champ says Verstappen “a naughty boy”