Former F1 champion Max Verstappen tells journalist to 'get out' of Japanese Grand Prix press conference

Former Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen kicked a reporter out of a press conference ahead of Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver, 28, refused to speak to journalists at the media session until The Guardian's Giles Richards left the room.

Verstappen said: "One second, I'm not speaking before he's leaving."

The four-time world champion's refusal dates back to a question he was asked following the 2025 F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Back then, Mr Richards had asked the Dutchman about a collision with Mercedes driver George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix on 1 June last year.

The collision led to a 10-second penalty that knocked Verstappen down five places, costing him points.

Hitting back at the question at the time, Verstappen said: "You forget all the other stuff that happened in ⁠my season.

"The only thing you mention is Barcelona. I knew that [question] would come. You're giving me a stupid grin now.

"I don't ‌know. Yeah, it's part of racing at the end. You live and learn. The championship is one of 24 rounds. I've also had a lot of ‌early Christmas presents given to me in the second half, so you can also question that."

In Suzuka, Japan, on Thursday, after Verstappen asked him to leave, Mr Richards replied "seriously?".

Verstappen replied: "Yeah."

Mr Richards then asked: "Because of the question last year?"

Verstappen then answered "yeah", before Mr Richards walked towards the driver's table to collect his dictaphone.

Mr Richards then said: "It's because of the question I asked you in Abu Dhabi?"

After a further exchange, Mr Richards asked: "You're really, really upset about it?"

Verstappen said: "Get out, get out! Now we can start."

What the reporter said about 'smiling' Verstappen

Writing about the exchange in The Guardian, Mr Richards said: "In the ​course of a brief 30-second exchange, he told me to 'get out', twice. ​I have never been asked to leave a press conference."

Read more:
Transgender women athletes banned from female Olympic events
'I was threatened with a screwdriver for doing my job'

He added: "Marching orders received, I duly departed. Verstappen had been smiling throughout the exchange. The day carried on; there are far more serious issues in the world than an F1 driver being cross with you."

Colleagues were "universally shocked" by the incident, he added.

(c) Sky News 2026: Former F1 champion Max Verstappen tells journalist to 'get out' of Japanese Grand Prix p