David Coulthard questions Max Verstappen journalist clash and FIA silence
Max Verstappen may regret ejecting a journalist in hindsight, says David Coulthard
David Coulthard believes Max Verstappen may come to regret demanding a journalist leave his Japanese Grand Prix media session.
Coulthard, from his past F1 experience, accepts that it is difficult for a driver not to take a harsh line of questioning personally, but he’s surprised that Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, has not taken a stance either.
Max Verstappen journalist clash addressed by David Coulthard
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Before commencing his media session at Red Bull hospitality ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, Verstappen demanded that a journalist leave.
This could be traced back to Abu Dhabi 2025, where Verstappen had been asked, by this journalist, whether he regretted his controversial Spanish GP collision with George Russell, one which resulted in a 10-second penalty.
Verstappen ultimately missed out on the Drivers’ title to Lando Norris by two points.
During the latest Up To Speed podcast, David Coulthard, a 13-time Grand Prix winner, and former Red Bull driver turned ambassador, brought up the Suzuka clash between Verstappen and that journalist.
Having discussed the Japanese GP winner Kimi Antonelli, and the nine-point gap which he has opened up at the top of the Drivers’ Championship, Coulthard used this as a pivot to discuss the Verstappen journalist incident.
“That nine-point gap we’re talking about was topical at the weekend with Max Verstappen, because a journalist asked him about did he regret the contact with George Russell in Barcelona that cost him nine points,” said Coulthard.
“He lost the World Championship by two points.
“Max reacted in a way, basically in Japan, when he saw the journalist’s face, he was like, ‘Out’, sent him away.”
Asked what his take was on Verstappen’s actions, Coulthard continued: “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 at right, you don’t have to answer the question, it is unusual to ask somebody to leave from that environment.
“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 [Max] was to say the word sh*t in there, he’d get fined.”
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Coulthard does completely understand where Verstappen’s frustrations came from.
He recalled a flashpoint from his own career with a journalist. They were able to speak about it and move on.
“I can only liken it to when I was racing,” Coulthard continued, “and I never won the world championships that Max has, of course, but I was definitely open to some criticism from various journalists, and it’s very difficult not to take it personally.
“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.
“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.
“I remember one journalist writing that, ‘David has an amazing ability to talk about the incident as if he wasn’t driving the car at the time’, and it really shocked me, because clearly, he thought I was just making excuses all the time, but I didn’t see it that way. Maybe I was being over defensive.
“I spoke to that journalist, and we made peace and moved on. But it is tough to take that public criticism.”
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