Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen ejected a journalist from a press conference ahead of Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver, 28, refused to speak until The Guardian's Giles Richards left the room.
Verstappen said, "One second, I'm not speaking before he's leaving." This refusal stems from a question Richards asked following the 2025 season finale in Abu Dhabi, regarding a collision with Mercedes driver George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix in June 2025. The incident resulted in a 10-second penalty for Verstappen, costing him crucial points.
In Suzuka, Japan, Verstappen asked Richards to leave, saying, "Get out, get out! Now we can start." Colleagues were universally shocked by the incident, which marked the first time a journalist has been asked to leave a press conference in this manner.