Max Verstappen is set for a private meeting with Red Bull chiefs after removing a journalist from his pre-race media session at the Japanese Grand Prix. Verstappen refused to begin until the person had left.
Verstappen’s frustration stems from a question asked during last year’s Abu Dhabi GP, when The Guardian’s Giles Richards brought up his collision with George Russell in Spain. That incident earned Verstappen a 10-second penalty and dropped him from fifth to 10th.
The Red Bull driver ended up losing the title by just two points, so it was clearly a big moment in the season. Verstappen was unhappy with both the question and what he felt was a ‘stupid grin’ on Richards’ face.
Red Bull to address Verstappen’s press conference incident
Verstappen’s actions haven’t gone unnoticed within Red Bull, and there are some who feel uneasy about the situation. While the team isn’t making any public statements, reports indicate they plan to have a discussion with him.
Laurent Mekies finds himself in a tricky position here. With Verstappen already frustrated by both the car’s performance and F1’s broader changes, managing this without further upsetting his driver will be challenging.
However, Verstappen’s behaviour did cross a line for Red Bull as an organisation. The company places high value on its media relationships, which extend well beyond just motorsport.
The exposure also serves as free advertising, helping them promote their core product. That link between sports visibility and business goals is central to why Red Bull is involved in F1 at all. It’s still unclear whether Richards will be present at future media sessions.
According to BILD, Red Bull will not be speaking on the incident but commented that ‘those in charge intend to speak with’ him.
Max Verstappen must accept that he may have thrown away 2025 title
Verstappen fielded repeated questions about the Russell incident last year, so it’s easy to see why he grew frustrated. He clearly felt he had already answered them.
But given how tight last year’s championship race was, Richards had every reason to bring it up in Abu Dhabi. Verstappen argued that all three drivers involved, especially the two McLarens, dropped points throughout the season due to errors or reliability issues.
This case was different, though. Nico Rosberg even called for Verstappen to be black-flagged in Barcelona, believing the contact with Russell was intentional.
The stewards didn’t have enough evidence to support that claim, but it was clear Verstappen was losing his cool at the time. The move stood out as one of the season’s most questionable decisions.
There’s a strong case that a single rash decision ended up costing him the title. Accepting that might help him avoid similar mistakes in future close title races.
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