A remarkable scene unfolded ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, when reigning Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen abruptly halted an official FIA press conference and refused to speak until a particular journalist was removed from the room.
The Red Bull driver, renowned for his uncompromising attitude on and off the track, made his position clear within seconds of the session starting. Spotting British journalist Giles Richards in attendance, Verstappen immediately intervened.
“One second. I’m not saying anything until he’s left,” he stated bluntly, taking the room by surprise and bringing proceedings to a standstill.
Tense exchange shocks media room
Richards, who writes for The Guardian, appeared visibly surprised by the demand and sought clarification.
“Me? Seriously?” he responded, before pressing further: “Because of the question I asked you in Abu Dhabi? Because of Spain?”
However, Verstappen refused to elaborate or back down. In a curt and decisive manner, he replied: “Go out.”
With the situation escalating and all eyes on them, Richards eventually left the press conference room. Only then did Verstappen relax his stance, signalling that the session could proceed.
“Now we can begin,” he said, as if nothing unusual had occurred.
The incident left fellow journalists stunned, highlighting the increasingly strained relationship between Verstappen and certain sections of the media.
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Lingering tensions from 2025
The roots of this public clash can be traced back several months, to the closing stages of the 2025 Formula 1 season. During the Abu Dhabi finale, Richards questioned Verstappen about a controversial incident that had occurred earlier in the year at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
In that race, Verstappen had been involved in a heated on-track battle with George Russell. After executing an overtaking manoeuvre, the Dutchman was instructed by race control to relinquish his position. Though he complied, tensions quickly boiled over.
Shortly after relinquishing the position, Verstappen collided with Russell in an incident that was widely judged to have been triggered by the Red Bull driver himself. The stewards gave him a ten-second penalty, dropping him from fifth to tenth place and damaging his hopes of winning the championship.
Even at the time, Verstappen reacted sharply to media scrutiny, clearly irritated by repeated questioning about the incident. Richards’ line of questioning appears to have left a lasting impression.
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Pressure mounting on Verstappen
Fast forward to the 2026 season, and the situation has only intensified. Verstappen, once the dominant force on the grid, now finds himself under increasing pressure both on and off the circuit.
Heading into Suzuka, the Dutchman sits in eighth place in the World Championship standings with just eight points. A staggering 43-point gap separates him from the current leader, George Russell, highlighting the extent of his struggles.
With Red Bull no longer enjoying the same level of dominance and rivals making significant gains, frustrations appear to be spilling over into his public appearances.
A revealing moment
While Verstappen has never been one to shy away from confrontation, this latest episode offers a revealing insight into his current mindset. The decision to eject a journalist from an official FIA event is highly unusual and highlights the tension surrounding the four-time world champion.
It also raises broader questions about the relationship between drivers and the media, particularly in high-pressure environments where past controversies continue to linger.
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If it was an official FIA media session they really should rebuke him for this.
If it’s just a RedBull media session I suspect they can do what they like.
The journalist asked a question he didn’t like months ago. Apart from that I can’t see he did anything to merit such an aggressive and unpleasant response from Verstappen. It does not reflect well on him, the team or F1 in general.