Max Verstappen makes feelings clear after Adrian Newey ‘nationalistic’ Sky F1 criticism

Max Verstappen expressed his full agreement with Adrian Newey after the F1 design guru hit out at Sky F1’s “nationalistic” coverage.

Sky Sports has held the Formula 1 live broadcasting rights in the UK and Ireland since 2012, its current deal running through to 2029, with their coverage also simulcasted in key markets such as the United States.

Max Verstappen ‘100 per cent’ agrees with Adrian Newey

And Sky’s coverage, considering its international nature, attracted the attention of Newey, who had worked with three-time World Champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing throughout his tenure with the team until Newey announced his exit ahead of the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, his full exit coming in 2025 as he prepares to start work with Aston Martin from March of that year.

Newey worked with Red Bull’s other multi-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel – who claimed four in a row between 2010-13 – for the full duration of his Red Bull stint, and claimed Sky F1 contributed to the “demonisation” of both drivers at times through their coverage.

“I think from the outside I’m not sure people fully appreciate and understand Max, just like they didn’t with Sebastian,” said Newey on the High Performance Podcast.

“First of all, there’s this sort of demonisation both of them suffered at times, which I think is very unfair, and maybe that’s also a little bit of the British media, if I’m honest.

“Sky have a huge influence around the world, their viewing is truly international, but their coverage is quite nationalistic dare I say, and that can have an influence.

“It’s this thing that now with journalism typically, there is that trend to sort of either put people on a pedestal or knock them down.”

Verstappen was quizzed on this “British media” bias claim from Newey at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he confirmed that he fully shares Newey’s opinion on the matter.

“I basically agree 100 per cent, yes,” he said.

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Verstappen – at a time where he has been speculated to be speaking with Aston Martin about following Newey to the team in an F1 2026 move – went on to talk up the strength of their relationship.

“And Newey and I get along very well,” he continued. “We have obviously worked together for a long time.”

But back to the here and now as Verstappen continues his pursuit of a fourth successive World Championship which would see him match Vettel’s streak. Verstappen will start P6 in Baku, but received a major boost as title rival Lando Norris suffered a shock Q1 elimination.

But, while Verstappen confirmed that the plan for race day is “preferably to finish ahead of Lando” as “that’s the most important thing”, he expects the McLaren driver to make progress from P16 on the grid.

Verstappen was speaking before Pierre Gasly’s qualifying disqualification was confirmed after his car was found to have exceeded the fuel flow limit, promoting Norris a spot.

“He was fast, though,” said Verstappen on Norris. “So you know, it’s not that he starts seventeenth and has no speed. So we are going to see.”

Asked if he thinks Norris will recover to the points, Verstappen replied: “Absolutely, absolutely.”

Norris is not so sure, as he talked about strategy being key if he wants to make progress on Sunday in Baku. He did not seem to rate his chances too highly.

“I think everything’s kind of going to have to be done with strategy, because you can’t overtake,” said Norris.

“There’s plenty of cars at the back which have taken all the wing off and just hope for the best, and that makes it impossible for a lot of cars to overtake them.

“The car is quick, and we kind of hope that can come into our hands and at some point I can get clean air, but on a street circuit, everything gets backed up so much you just kind of get forced into a position and you can’t do a lot at times.

“We’ll hope for the best, but I don’t expect anything magical in that strategy comes into play.”

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