Max Verstappen explains why he kicked out British F1 journalist: ‘He laughed in my face’

Verstappen caused a stir on Thursday in Japan when he instructed a reporter to ‘get out’ from his media session
Max Verstappen has explained that he kicked out a British F1 journalist from his press conference because he “laughed in my face” and acted with “malice” last year in Abu Dhabi .

Four-time world champion Verstappen caused a stir on Thursday in Japan after he ordered Guardian journalist Giles Richards to “get out” of his media session.

The controversy stems from a question Richards posed at the last race of last season in Abu Dhabi, as he asked the Dutchman what his thoughts were on his deliberate ram into George Russell in Spain earlier in the season, after he ultimately missed out on the title to Lando Norris by just two points.

Verstappen, 28, took umbrage with the question and accused Richards of having a “stupid grin” as he answered – something Richards has since denied – and the Red Bull driver gave more detail after qualifying 11th for the Japanese GP on Saturday.

“So when someone asks that question during the press conference after the last race and also laughs in your face, to me that has to do with a complete lack of respect,” he told Viaplay .

“If you don’t give me respect, why would I give you respect?

“You only see the camera pointed at me and not at that person, who just started laughing.

And you could clearly see that there was malicious intent behind it at that moment.

“That is enough for me.

I have been in Formula 1 long enough to know who has good intentions and who has bad intentions.

If you go and laugh at me right there, you clearly don’t have good intentions.”
Verstappen did not confirm whether he would continue to dismiss Richards from his press sessions in the future.

Richards, for his part, said in a column on Thursday: “I’m not sure I had a stupid grin.

I was certainly taken aback by the vehemence of his reply and it might have prompted a nervous smile.

“But I did not think it was funny, nor was I enjoying myself at his expense.”
On-track, Verstappen and his Red Bull team continue to struggle and the Dutchman – who secured pole position at the last four races in Suzuka – did not even make Q3 on Saturday and will line up a lowly 11th on Sunday’s grid.

He went on to describe the car as “undriveable.”
“The car never turns mid-corner,” he explained.

“We oversteer a lot on entry, it’s really difficult and unpredictable.

“We thought we fixed it a little bit in FP3.

There’s still a lot of understeer, for me in qualifying it was undriveable.

I’m driving with a different aero package which also wasn’t good.

“We have problems that I cannot explain in detail here.

In qualifying.

it comes back to a point where it became undriveable.”
Kimi Antonelli will start on pole ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell, with Lewis Hamilton down in sixth for Ferrari.

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