Max Verstappen vs F1 media: Journalist boycott demanded after Japan meltdown

Four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen made headlines at the Japanese Grand Prix for all the wrong reasons.

The Dutchman's 2026 season has gotten off to an abysmal start as the new regulations and subsequent energy management demands have proven too much for Verstappen to overcome.

The Red Bull star's best grand prix finish of the new regulations cycle was P6 at the opening race of the year in Melbourne, and as his issues on track have continued to worsen, his reputation off of it has too.

At the Suzuka International Circuit prior to last weekend's Japanese GP, Verstappen banished The Guardian journalist Giles Richards from a Red Bull media briefing, citing a previous disagreement as the reason.

At the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP, Richards put it to Verstappen that the reason he had lost the drivers' championship to Lando Norris by only two points could have been because of his on-track incident with George Russell at last year's Spanish GP.

Verstappen not only disagreed with this view but was clearly offended by it, proving in Suzuka last week that he has been unable to forgive Richards after their tense interaction last season.

During Thursday's media briefing, Verstappen said of Richards: "I won't begin until he's gone," eventually taking matters into his own hands by ejecting the journalist, telling him to: "get out," something that has triggered backlash from reporters across the globe.

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen at breaking point as journalists demand FIA action

Should F1 journalists have boycotted Verstappen media session?

A view that has spread across social media as the fallout from Verstappen's controversial actions continues is that the journalists who remained in the media session showed a worrying lack of solidarity with Richards.

The Mirror's Chief Football Writer John Cross even posted on 'X' last week: "Few of us tabloids on here have walked out in solidarity with colleagues in similar scenarios."

Following the media meltdown at Suzuka, Tariq Panja (Global Sports Correspondent at The New York Times), Martyn Ziegler (Chief Sports Reporter at The Times) and Rob Harris (Global Sports Correspondent) discussed the situation on the Sport Unlocked podcast, making it clear they would have all left the media session in solidarity with a fellow journalist had they been there.

Looking back on the Verstappen incident, Panja said: "Richards asked Verstappen if he was serious, then Richards left the room, then Verstappen said: 'now we can start'.

Panja then turned to his podcast co-hosts Harris and Ziegler, saying: "Look, I would hope to think that the two of you would leave with me if I was thrown out of a room and we would do that for each other because it's not on is it?

"This person has flown across the world to do his job and he's not been able to do it and the only way this thing works is if everybody leaves, otherwise you'll be picked off one after the other."

Taking in what had been discussed, Ziegler added: "I'm surprised there hasn't been more pushback on Red Bull to apologise."

Reports have spread that Verstappen was called to a meeting with F1 team principal Laurent Mekies on the morning following his banishment of the journalist, but no official statement or apology has been released by Red Bull.

READ MORE: FIA take action on out of sorts Hamilton at Japanese Grand Prix

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