Federação Internacional of Automobilismo (FIA) formally demonstrated its displeasure with Red Bull Racing following an incident involving Max Verstappen and a British journalist. The episode occurred during the official press conference of Grande Prêmio of Japão of Fórmula 1, in Suzuka, this Thursday. The Dutch pilot refused to begin his answers while Giles Richards, newspaper reporterThe Guardian, remained in the press room.
The highest motorsport entity would have taken the case to Conselho Consultivo of Mídia of the category after reports that the behavior of the four-time champion violated protocols for coexistence with the press. Representantes from the federation met with the professional involved to collect statements about what happened before contacting the Austrian team. Red Bull was notified of the FIA’s concern to maintain a professional and accessible working environment for all accredited vehicles.
Origin of the conflict and developments in Suzuka
The disagreement between the pilot and the journalist is not recent and dates back to the end of the previous season. Verstappen is saddened by comments made by Richards after the 2025 GP of Abu Dhabi, when the reporter associated the Dutchman’s loss of the title to a track incident with George Russell that occurred at the beginning of that year, at Espanha. In the driver’s view of Red Bull, the analysis was done disrespectfully and with negative intentions, which broke trust between the parties.
Upon noticing the presence of Richards in the question box at Suzuka, Verstappen went directly and pointed to the professional, making his participation in the event conditional on the journalist’s departure. The scene generated immediate silence in the paddock and forced an internal movement by the FIA to mediate the situation. According to behind-the-scenes information gathered from sources linked to the federation, the body considers that, regardless of personal feuds, the media obligations provided for in the sporting regulations must be fulfilled without individual vetoes against specific professionals.
The justification for Verstappen and personal positioning
In subsequent statements to the press from Holanda, Max Verstappen defended his stance and stated that the limit of respect was exceeded by the British reporter. Ele denied that the problem was the technical nature of the question or the criticism of his performance on the track, but rather the attitude demonstrated by the professional at the time of the original approach to Abu Dhabi. The driver claimed that the journalist had laughed at his frustration after losing the championship, which he classified as a clear “bad intention”.
- The pilot claimed to have answered the same question more than 20 times.
- Verstappen highlighted that he respects most questions, even meaningless ones.
- The central justification is that a lack of mutual respect nullifies your obligation of courtesy.
- The Dutchman reiterated that the cameras did not capture the journalist’s reactions at the end of 2025.
The driver’s firm stance divided opinions among those present at the Japanese circuit. Enquanto part of the paddock understands the human reaction to a possible mockery, the leadership of Fórmula 1 fears that the precedent will open space for other competitors to choose who can or cannot interrogate them. Esse fear motivated the FIA’s speed in taking the matter to Conselho of Mídia, seeking to establish guidelines that avoid a repeat of the blocking of journalists in mandatory sessions.
Regulatory impact and the role of Red Bull Racing
Red Bull now acts as an intermediary to calm tensions between its main sporting asset and the regulatory entity. Christian Horner, team leader, has the challenge of protecting the driver without entering into a collision course with the FIA, which has the power to sanction if it understands that there has been a violation of Código Esportivo Internacional. The regulations stipulate that drivers must be available to the media at scheduled times, and any impediment to press work can be interpreted as conduct detrimental to the sport.
The incident occurs at a time of high pressure, where every detail off the track gains proportions magnified by the intense technical dispute of the 2026 season. The FIA reinforced that dialogue between athletes and journalists is a pillar of promoting the category and that it does not tolerate prior censorship based on editorial disagreements. The expectation is that a new meeting will take place before qualifying to seal a conduct agreement for the remainder of the weekend at Suzuka, ensuring that the focus returns to competitive activities on the asphalt.
