F1 legend surprised Max Verstappen escaped FIA punishment over off-track incident

Max Verstappen

F1 legend surprised Max Verstappen escaped FIA punishment over off-track incident

Max Verstappen kicked a journalist out of a media session

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 11 April 2026 10:56

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An F1 legend has revealed that he's surprised Max Verstappen wasn't fined by the FIA for an incident at Suzuka.

As Verstappen prepared for his media session in the Red Bull hospitality area at Suzuka, the Dutchman refused to begin the session until The Guardian's Giles Richards had been ejected from the room.

Verstappen's reaction stemmed from a question Richards asked at the 2025 season finale in Abu Dhabi, having just lost the title to Lando Norris by two points.

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Richards had asked Verstappen about his notorious clash with George Russell earlier in the season, which resulted in a 10-second penalty and a tenth-place finish for the Dutchman, posing that this had been costly for his title ambitions.

Verstappen then responded: "You forget all the other stuff that happened in my season. The only thing you mention is Barcelona, I knew that would come."

Verstappen then paused, and added: "Are you giving me a stupid grin now?"

Coulthard surprised by FIA's lack of action on Verstappen

Speaking during an episode of the Up To Speed podcast, F1 legend David Coulthard reflected on Verstappen’s decision to dismiss the reporter at Suzuka.

He explained: "Well, I see it this way, it's probably not something that on reflection Max will feel good about because even though he's absolutely right, you don't have to answer the question, it is unusual to ask somebody to leave from that environment.

"And I'm actually a little bit surprised the FIA didn't take a stance on it. I didn't see anything that there was any sort of reprimand because basically if he was to say the word s**t in there, he'd get fined."

It is important to note that because the media session was in private and in Red Bull's motorhome, not an official FIA media session, then Verstappen would not get fined for swearing.

Coulthard relates to Verstappen

Coulthard then continued, noting that he could relate to Verstappen, and referenced moments in his own career when he was criticised by journalists.

"I can only liken it to when I was racing, and I never won the world championships that Max has, of course, but I was definitely open to some criticism from various journalists," the Scot said.

"And it's very difficult not to take it personally. So I'm sure you don't look at the comments on some of the social feeds because there'll be some who love you and there'll be some that just don't like you, and that's the way it is.

"So I certainly did get some criticism, and there was always an underlying, let's say, if they were questioning my qualifying ability, it was a fair question, but of course it wasn't easy to be asked the same question time and time again.

"And some journalists would be a lot more dismissive. And it is their right as a journalist to say what they see. But it is difficult not to take it personally. And none of the drivers are exempt from that."

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