Max Verstappen has explained why he controversially dismissed a British journalist from his news conference at Formula 1\u2019s Japanese Grand Prix.<\/p>\n
The four-time world champion made headlines on Thursday at Suzuka when he ejected a journalist from his session with the written media <\/a>which took place in Red Bull\u2019s hospitality unit ahead of the weekend.<\/p>\n Verstappen<\/a> refused to answer questions until The Guardian\u2019s Giles Richards left, telling him to \u201cget out\u201d on two separate occasions because of a grievance that dates back to last year’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.<\/p>\n After the season finale, in which Verstappen lost out on the drivers’ title to McLaren’s Lando Norris <\/a>by two points, Richards asked the Dutchman whether he “regretted” his collision with George Russell<\/a> at the Spanish Grand Prix.<\/p>\n Verstappen was hit with a penalty for appearing to deliberately drive into Russell’s Mercedes at Barcelona, dropping him five places from fifth to 10th and costing him nine points in the title race.<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n \u201cI got that question quite often last year, and I think I answered it more than twenty times,\u201d Verstappen told Viaplay after qualifying in Japan.<\/p>\n \u201cSo when someone asks that question during the press conference after the last race and also laughs in your face, to me that has to do with a complete lack of respect. If you don’t give me respect, why would I give you respect?<\/p>\n \u201cYou only see the camera pointed at me and not at that person, who just started laughing. And you could clearly see that there was malicious intent behind it at that moment. That is enough for me.<\/p>\n \u201cI have been in Formula 1 long enough to know who has good intentions and who has bad intentions. If you go and laugh at me right there, you clearly don\u2019t have good intentions.\u201d<\/p>\n