Overview
- Max Verstappen, who refused Thursday to speak with Guardian correspondent Giles Richards present, forced the reporter to leave a Red Bull hospitality press briefing at the Japanese Grand Prix.
- Once Richards exited the room, Verstappen resumed the session and took questions from the remaining media.
- The standoff traces to Abu Dhabi 2025, when Richards asked if Verstappen regretted contact with George Russell in Barcelona that brought a penalty and cost points in a title Norris won by two.
- No formal action from the FIA or Red Bull has been reported, and the move stood out because team hospitality briefings are typically open to all accredited journalists.
- Coverage framed the episode as part of a pattern in Verstappen’s media friction, recalling his 2022 boycott of Sky Sports F1 and curt exchanges after sanctions in 2023.