Max Verstappen has long held a grudge against a reporter. The Red Bull star caused a stir before the Formula 1 race in Japan.
26.03.2026, 11:18
26.03.2026, 13:29
dpa
After a frustrating start to the new Formula 1 season, Max Verstappen let a reporter feel his bad mood. Right at the start of his team's usual media Q&A session before the race in Japan, the Red Bull driver asked a journalist from the British Guardian to leave. The Dutchman said that he would only give answers once the journalist had left the team headquarters at the Suzuka race track.
The reporter was initially taken aback, but quickly realized why Verstappen was angry with him. "Is it about the question from last year?" asked the Briton. Verstappen answered in the affirmative and confirmed: "Get out!" After a brief exchange of words, the journalist left the Red Bull motorhome. Verstappen then said: "Now we can start."
Verstappen's resentment has been simmering for months
The cause of the uproar before the third race of the season dates back several months. After last year's season finale in Abu Dhabi, when Verstappen narrowly missed out on his fifth title after a strong fightback, the reporter asked him about a crash with Mercedes driver George Russell. Verstappen had received a penalty for this accident at the race in Barcelona, which had cost him championship points, which he lacked in the final standings against world champion Lando Norris.
When the reporter asked him about this scene again in Abu Dhabi, Verstappen replied: "I knew you were going to ask me about Barcelona, and now you're looking at me with that stupid grin." Since then, the four-time champion's resentment has apparently not dissipated - and may well continue due to the weak start to the new season. In Australia, Verstappen had to settle for sixth place in the currently weakening Red Bull, and most recently in China he retired with a technical defect.
