When Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz asked Sergio Perez about his future in Brazil, the Mexican driver was quick to blame the media for the weekly articles suggesting he will be out of the Red Bull team win the near future. The veteran reporter then revealed in fact he has repeatedly asked team boss Christian Horner about Checo’s future only to receive the standard line, ‘we are supporting him as much as we can.’ 

Yet again, no absolute confirmation was forthcoming from Horner that the new contract Perez signed in May for next season will be honoured. In particular the British media has come under fire in recent weeks, accused of blind support for British drivers’ like Lando Norris whilst attacking Max Verstappen for his alleged ‘dirty driving tactics.

In fact Red Bull have persisted for some time with the narrative that whilst Alex Albon, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Lando Norris are portrayed in a favourable light, the British media treat Max Verstappen as the villain of the peace. This in some small part is due to outgoing technical director, Adrian Newey, who recently accused the British media of “demonising” Red Bull’s world champion drivers.

 

 

 

 

Red Bull “nationalistic” claims

Newey claimed Sky’s coverage was excessively “nationalistic” and made villains out of Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen. “From the outside I’m not sure people fully appreciate and understand Max, just like they didn’t with Sebastian. Because first of all, there’s a sort of demonisation that both of them suffered at times which I think’s very unfair,” said Newey.

“Sky have a huge influence around the world, their viewing is truly international but their coverage is quite nationalistic, dare I say, and that can have an influence,” he concluded.

Red Bull in fact boycotted Sky for an entire F1 weekend back in Austin 2022, they claimed the broadcaster was perpetuating the trope that Max Verstappen had “robbed” Lewis Hamilton of the previous year’s drivers championship.

Sky’s Ted Kravitz was the focus of Red Bull’s anger when in his unscripted ‘notebook’ the previous outing, he had repeatedly stated that Hamilton was “robbed.” Sky maintained their reporter’s position was in fact tenable given he was not apportioning blame to Verstappen but the race officials.

Red Bull’s campaign for 2024 looked to be unraveling after the summer break as Ferrari brought powerful upgrades to their home race in Monza. McLaren had already been taking huge chunks of Red Bull’s once 120 point lead over them in the constructors’ championship.

Horner accuses F1 race director of negligence

 

 

 

Verstappen centre of media storm

Much of this was to do with Sergio Perez scoring just 19 points in six races prior to Brazil but the fall from grace story built momentum despite Verstappen having three podiums over the six Grand Prix and never finished below P6.

Each weekend Max racked up another with no win since his last  time atop of the podium way back at the circuit de Catalunya in late June, the pressure mounted with the British media simultaneously bigging up the title charge coming from Lando Norris.

As if matters on track were not bad enough, Verstappen was to become the centre of another storm which ultimately led to him issuing ‘no comment’ style answers only at the press conference in Singapore.

Max became the first victim of the FIA president’s crack down on swearing. He was penalised by the stewards in Singapore and given the unusual penalty of community service which hit the headlines.

Jos Verstappen furious as Ocon meets out revenge to Max

 

 

 

Max/Lando on track duels

The media printed copious columns about five year olds not having to listen to such filth, to which Max questioned how many five year olds watch F1 press conferences. To add insult to injury, Charles Leclerc was the next culprit to issue an expletive in an FIA media event, yet the stewards merely fined him in the traditional manner, something which did not amuse Max.

Verstappen caused the FIA of bias against him when he was told of the Ferrari drivers behaviour stating, “I mean, apparently it only counts for me anyway, because, you know, after the race in Mexico, someone was swearing. I didn’t hear anything from it.”

This year there was a second month long break for F1 and it returned to a triple header starting in Austin, Texas. On track Norris and Verstappen battled hard, but it was the McLaren driver who was punished rather than Verstappen, the British media was in uproar.

A week later in Mexico, the pair were once again arguing over the same piece of asphalt in Mexico, both drivers leaving the track more than once, yet it was Max who was hit with huge punishment from the stewards.

Sainz to Red Bull

 

 

 

FIA made an example of Verstappen

Two ten second penalties were issued to the world champion and again the flies buzzed in the paddock media centre. “Dirty driving” and “overly aggressive” was the sentiment in the British media as it was debated how the rules could be changed to force Verstappen into line.

Yet come Brazil it was Max who had the last laugh against his detractors. With a drive that will be recorded in the history books as one of the greatest wet weather performances seen in Formula One, Verstappen was back on form post race in the paddock.

Taking questions from the written media in Sao Paulo, Max called out the lack of British reporters present. “I have a quick question here. I mean I appreciate all of you being here, but I don’t see any British press?” he mocked. “Did they have to run to the airport? Or do they not know where the press conference is? Do you know? No clue?”

Today the BBC’s content on the F1 weekend in Brazil hails the drive of Max Verstappen but focuses more on the failure of Lando Norris. They describe his hopes of winning the title as “crushed” concluding, “Verstappen’s fourth world championship never really looked under that much threat. But there can be no doubt now.”

Penalty for Norris stands

 

 

 

British media response to Verstappen glory drive

The Daily Mail report marvels at the drive from Verstappen describing him as ‘the greatest driver on the planet.’ They also announce Lando’s charge for a title to be over in “a flash, and Lando Norris’s dream surely died on a wet track as slippery as a chancellor’s promise.”

The Mail often accused of jingoism were unhappy with Norris ungracious conclusion that Max had been “lucky” and slated the British driver for his start of the race. “More pertinently, you cannot start on pole and lose ground to a weapons-grade talent starting 16 places behind.”

The Times were also critical of Norris stating this was ‘not the drive of a champion in waiting’ as his mistakes in Sao Paulo means all hope of the title had now “evaporated.”

Sky F1’s headlines are mixed. One analysis Lando’s race and is titled, “Unlucky? Or too many mistakes?” Another acknowledges Max won a “thrilling wet race” describing it as “a sublime display of driving to surge through the field during a chaotic contest, which featured a red flag and two Safety Car interruptions, ending a 10-race winless streak that stretched back to June’s Spanish Grand Prix.”

Norris just “ran out of talent”

 

 

 

Norris mistakes criticised

Norris takes his fair share of criticism from the British media who Red Bull have claimed are biased towards British drivers. Yet had this been a Hamilton victory during his pomp, the headlines would e eulogising over this incredible performance, last seen 19 years ago when Kimi raced from as far back to win a the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix.

A quick glance at the British reports from what Austosport consider to be Lewis Hamilton’s greatest drive in the wet 2008 British Grand Prix, makes for interesting reading.

A “masterclass” and “It’s performances of that calibre that make legends,” penned the Autosport team despite this being just Lewis’ seventh Grand Prix win of his career. Of course Hamilton won that day by a margin not seen for a quarter of a century in F1, but he started from P4 not P17 as did Verstappen.

Verstappen: “The world has seen who is the best”

 

 

 

Muted recognition for Verstappen

While the rhetoric about Max’s genius drive in Brazil is more muted than when Hamilton is the star of the F1 show, the British media have been tough on Norris who takes things to heart easily. Norris and McLaren have two weeks off to lick their wounds and return on form in Las Vegas.

Finishing a distant P6 to Verstappen in São Paulo showed the gulf of the talent between the two drivers, yet Norris is one of the best of the current crop on the F1 grid. Given Lando’s first race win in F1 was in Miami this season, he lacks the years of experience of his rival who was battle hardened in his fierce duels with Lewis Hamilton over the years.

And Maybe without the weight of  becoming world champion around his neck, Lando Norris will find a new freedom in his driving in Las Vegas. And with the pressure now off, he should easily eliminate the errors for which he has been rightly criticised.

Verstappen breaks all time record in Brazil

 

 

 

Mercedes’ dodge exclusion from Sao Paulo GP

The 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix will live long in the memory of those who watched the event. In the dry conditions on Friday and Saturday, McLaren were by far the quickest F1 car on track, claiming pole and a 1-2 finish in the Sprint.

Just a few hours later the heavens opened right before Grand Prix qualifying which saw race control delay the start of the session several times. Then as the fading light became a concern, the decision was taken to postpone qualifying until Sunday morning.

Having studied the weather forecast for Sunday, the FIA took the decision to run qualifying earlier than scheduled at 07:30 local time meaning the teams and drivers were woken by a 04:30 alarm call. With the rain causing drivers to crash out on a regular basis, the session dragged on well past its finish time and recorded the the most red flags deployed in this current format of qualifying… READ MORE