Max Verstappen bans reporter from Japanese Grand Prix press conference
· The South African
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was involved in a flashpoint ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix on Thursday when he refused to start his press conference until an English journalist had left the room.
The Red Bull driver sat down to speak to reporters at the team’s hospitality suite in Suzuka, but then said, “I’m not speaking before he’s leaving”, and gestured at a journalist from The Guardian newspaper.
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‘Get out’
The journalist asked Max Verstappen if his demand was because of a question he had asked the driver last season, to which Verstappen replied “yes” and told him to “get out”.
The reporter left and Max Verstappen continued with the press conference.
The reporter later told AFP that the incident stemmed from a question he had asked Max Verstappen after the Dutchman missed out on a fifth world title to Lando Norris by two championship points at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.
The question centred on the impact of a penalty that Verstappen had picked up for ramming Mercedes driver George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix in June.
Defending champion
Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix in the third of the season.
Max Verstappen is the defending champion at Sukuza, but after two races this season lies in eighth place in the drivers’ standings with just eight points.
Mercedes’ George Russell leads the way with 51 points.
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX TIMES
All times SA
Friday, 27 March
Practice 1: 04:30 – 05:30
Practice 2: 08:00 – 09:00
Saturday, 28 March
Practice 3: 04:30 – 05:30
Qualifying: 08:00 – 09:00
Sunday, 29 March
Main race: 07:00
Standings ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix
Drivers RankDriverPoints1George Russell512Kimi Antonelli473Charles Leclerc344Lewis Hamilton335Oliver Bearman176Lando Norris157Pierre Gasly98Max Verstappen89Liam Lawson810Arvid Lindblad411Isack Hadjar412Oscar Piastri313Carlos Sainz214Gabriel Bortoleto215Franco Colapinto116Esteban Ocon017Nico Hulkenberg018Alexander Albon019Valtteri Bottas020Sergio Perez021Fernando Alonso022Lance Stroll0 Constructors RankConstructorPoints1Mercedes982Ferrari673McLaren184Haas175Red Bull126Racing Bulls127Alpine108Audi29Williams210Cadillac011Aston Martin0Who will win this season’s Formula One drivers’ title?
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By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse