Red Bull driver Max Verstappen refused to answer questions and ejected a journalist from his press conference at the Japanese Grand Prix on Thursday over lingering anger from a previous interview.

The four-time Formula 1 champion declined to start his written media session at Suzuka until the reporter had left the room.

His frustration stems from a question posed at the season finale in Abu Dhabi last December.

Tensions spill over from title heartbreak

During that previous exchange, the journalist had questioned the Dutchman about an intentional collision with George Russell at last year’s Spanish Grand Prix.

The ensuing 10-second time penalty cost the 28-year-old nine crucial points.

In hindsight, that penalty proved decisive as the Red Bull talisman narrowly missed out on securing a fifth world championship by just two points.

When asked if he regretted the incident in Abu Dhabi, he had delivered a sharply critical response.

“You forget all the other stuff that happened in my season. The only thing you mention is Barcelona. I knew that would come. You’re giving me a stupid grin now.”

Suzuka standoff halts media session

Recognising the Guardian newspaper’s F1 correspondent in the room at Suzuka, the reigning championship contender immediately halted proceedings.

“I’m not speaking before he leaves.”

The surprised reporter asked if the demand was seriously due to the question regarding Spain from last year.

“Get out.”

When the journalist questioned if he was genuinely still upset by the exchange, the response remained entirely blunt.

“Yeah, get out.”

Once the reporter exited the facility, the driver visibly relaxed and told the remaining gathered press that they could begin.

Championship struggles compound frustration

The dramatic confrontation follows a difficult start to the new campaign for the typically dominant racer.

He currently trails the lead in the drivers’ championship standings by a considerable 43 points.

That deficit follows a mechanical failure at the Chinese Grand Prix, which compounded a modest sixth-place finish at the season opener in Melbourne.

Championship leader George Russell has accused rivals of attempting to slow Mercedes down after the team’s front wing came under scrutiny ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Brackley-based outfit have dominated the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season, with the British driver and his team-mate Kimi Antonelli securing a victory each.

However, opposing teams raised concerns following the recent race in China after video footage suggested Antonelli’s front wing did not fully close under braking.

Active aerodynamics under the microscope

Under the new 2026 technical regulations, cars feature active aerodynamics where front and rear wings open on designated straights before closing when the driver brakes.

The governing body mandates that the transition time between these aerodynamic states must not exceed 0.4 seconds.

Footage from the Shanghai circuit appeared to show the Italian teenager’s wing remaining partially open beyond the permitted timeframe.

The FIA has subsequently held discussions with the Silver Arrows regarding the aerodynamic mechanism.

‘No advantage’ for championship leaders

Russell, who currently holds a four-point advantage at the summit of the drivers’ standings, insists the delay is an operational flaw rather than a deliberate performance enhancement.

“It wasn’t intentional, and I don’t think it’s not an advantage, for sure,” said the current championship leader.

“It’s actually a problem, so something we’re trying to solve.”

“It isn’t a straightforward solution, but there is definitely no advantage to that because when we brake, the front wing is still open.”

“Kimi had the lock up towards the end of the race, and I think this was a contribution to the front wing, so it’s definitely not intentional.”

Wolff warns of political knives

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had already anticipated backlash, warning of political manoeuvres being aimed at his garage.

The Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton remain the closest challengers to the current constructors’ leaders but have admitted they face a significant pace deficit.

In a separate development ahead of qualifying in Suzuka, the FIA has implemented a late rule tweak regarding power unit energy recovery.

The permitted energy recharge has been reduced from 9.0 megajoules to 8.0 megajoules in an effort to limit electrical clipping at the end of long straights.

Aston Martin are battling extreme engine issues and a disastrous start to the 2026 Formula 1 season ahead of engine supplier Honda’s home race in Japan.

The Silverstone-based team have failed to finish either of the opening two Grands Prix in Australia and China.

Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are currently struggling to avoid being the slowest cars in qualifying alongside newcomers Cadillac.

The primary cause of these early-season woes stems from immense vibrations generated by the radically altered 2026 power units.

Physical toll on drivers

The violent shaking effectively brought the car to a halt during pre-season testing and has severely limited track mileage.

The situation reached a critical point during the recent Chinese Grand Prix when Alonso retired after completing just 32 laps.

The two-time world champion was visibly forced to take his hands off the steering wheel on the long straights to alleviate the intense discomfort.

“We found more vibrations than any other sessions in the weekend. Physically I could not continue much longer,” said the Spaniard.

“I lost the feeling in my hands and feet. It was not a nice feeling.”

The intense mechanical feedback previously prompted legendary designer Adrian Newey to warn of potential permanent nerve damage for the drivers.

Leadership structure defended

Off the track, the struggling outfit faces mounting speculation regarding their senior management setup.

Reports recently suggested former Audi boss Jonathan Wheatley could arrive to replace Newey and assume traditional team principal duties.

However, co-owner Lawrence Stroll vehemently denied these rumours while reaffirming his commitment to the current unconventional leadership structure.

“We do things differently here, and while we don’t currently adopt the traditional team principal role that you see elsewhere – it is by design,” Stroll stated.

“As the most successful engineer in the history of the sport, Adrian’s primary focus is on the strategic and technical leadership where he excels.”

The immediate priority for the British constructor remains solving these critical unreliability issues before taking to the challenging Suzuka circuit.

Engine partners Honda are reportedly working tirelessly to find a safe mechanical solution ahead of a highly pressurised home event.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has dismissed early-season speculation linking Max Verstappen with a move to the team, reaffirming his commitment to George Russell.

Rumours had surfaced suggesting the four-time world champion could leave Red Bull following recent expressions of internal discontent.

Pundits quickly speculated that Russell could be sacrificed by the Silver Arrows to make room for the Dutchman.

Early season driver market

The Mercedes boss expressed clear frustration that driver market gossip had already ignited just weeks into the new campaign.

“The astonishing thing is that these silly rumours are already surfacing in March,” Wolff told OE24.
“It’s silly enough that you normally have to discuss these things in July.”

The Austrian executive insisted there is absolutely no valid reason to consider altering his current driving partnership.

“We have two drivers with whom we have long-term, multi-year contracts,” he added.
“I could not be happier with either of them. Both are delivering top performances.”

Pundits question Russell’s future

Despite a strong start to the season, former Formula 1 drivers Johnny Herbert and Damon Hill recently cast doubt on Russell’s job security.

The British racer currently holds a narrow four-point lead over his teenage team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the drivers’ standings.

Both Mercedes men have already secured race victories this year, highlighting the team’s competitive pace.

Speaking on the Stay On Track podcast, Herbert suggested the Red Bull star’s unhappiness could trigger a blockbuster switch.

“I’ve heard little rumours again that with Max not being very happy where he is… is he going to be taken by Mercedes, which means they are going to get rid of George,” Herbert stated.

The Antonelli factor

Hill also weighed in on the internal dynamic at Mercedes, questioning if their 19-year-old Italian prospect has already become the favoured driver.

“Kimi is Toto’s protégé, if you like. He’s put his reputation on the line to get this guy in,” Hill observed.
“So George is always temporary,” the 1996 world champion added.

Wolff remains completely resolute in his strategy and quickly shut down any imminent pursuit of the reigning champion.

“There is absolutely no reason to even consider a line-up change, or other drivers. I say this with the utmost respect for Max,” Wolff concluded.

Ferrari have reported Mercedes to motorsport’s governing body the FIA over an allegedly illegal front-wing design ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

The Maranello-based outfit raised concerns after reviewing onboard footage from the recent Chinese Grand Prix.

Technical analysis suggests their championship rivals might be using a sophisticated two-phase closing mechanism to gain an aerodynamic advantage.

Silver Arrows dominate early season

The Brackley squad have enjoyed a flawless start to the 2026 Formula 1 campaign.

They secured back-to-back one-two finishes in the opening rounds in Australia and China.

This early dominance under the sweeping new technical regulations has inevitably drawn intense scrutiny from the rest of the paddock.

Two-phase wing mechanism questioned

Current rules dictate that front and rear wings must complete their closing motion within a strict 400-millisecond window.

Video evidence indicates the championship leaders may be exploiting a loophole by completing this action in two distinct stages.

The initial movement occurs within the legal timeframe, allowing sensors to confirm closure before a secondary, more gradual phase eases the component into its final position.

Mounting pressure on the FIA

This is not the first time the German manufacturer has faced technical investigations this season.

Rivals previously questioned their engine compression ratio, suspecting a method to exceed the strict 16:1 limit at operating temperatures.

While they were cleared of any wrongdoing in that instance, the regulatory board intends to close the engine loophole during the August summer break.

With no official ruling yet on the aerodynamic system, the reigning race winners remain overwhelming favourites at Suzuka.

Lewis Hamilton believes there is even more performance to unlock after ending a 16-month podium drought to claim his first top-three finish for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion finished third in Shanghai behind the leading Mercedes duo.

That encouraging result followed a solid fourth-place finish at the season-opening race in Melbourne.

It marks the British veteran’s strongest start to a Formula 1 campaign since his thrilling 2021 title battle.

Intense winter reset

The 2025 season was statistically the worst of the renowned driver’s illustrious career.

He endured a turbulent first year with the Scuderia and frequently struggled to match the pace of team-mate Charles Leclerc.

However, a gruelling off-season training regime has yielded immediate dividends for the iconic Italian outfit.

The legendary racer completely unplugged from the sport over the winter break to rebuild his mental focus.

Back to peak form

The rejuvenated star now approaches this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix with significant momentum.

He is confident of helping his team close the gap to early constructors’ championship leaders Mercedes.

I definitely feel like I’m back to my best, both mentally and physically.

Despite the breakthrough result in China, the record-breaking race winner remains hungry for further technical improvements.

I think I can still eke out more performance from this car.

He acknowledged that mastering the technical complexities of his new machinery remains an ongoing process.

I’m still learning about it as I go, particularly with energy deployment, but I do think there’s more to come.

Four-time Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen and his Mercedes-AMG teammates have been disqualified from Saturday’s Nurburgring Nordschleife race victory after exceeding their tyre allocation.

The Dutchman had partnered with Daniel Juncadella and Jules Gounon to secure a dominant victory in the second round of the Nurburgring Langstrecken-Serie.

Driving a Mercedes-AMG GT3, the trio crossed the finish line more than a minute ahead of the chasing pack.

However, post-race inspections revealed the team had used seven sets of tyres across qualifying and the race, breaching the mandated six-set limit.

Rowe Racing inherit victory following rules breach

Following the retrospective disqualification, the race win was subsequently awarded to the Rowe Racing duo of Don Harper and Jordan Pepper.

Verstappen Racing released a measured response on social media acknowledging the setback while focusing on future events.

“Tough outcome, but we keep moving,” the statement read.
“A lot to take from the weekend and plenty to look forward to.”

Mercedes acknowledge behind-the-scenes error

The operational error was managed by Winward Racing, who were fielding this specific performance car line-up for the first time in the endurance series.

Stefan Wendl, head of Mercedes-AMG customer racing, admitted the logistical mistake severely dampened an otherwise extraordinary day on the track.

“The disappointment was all the greater when we realised that we had made a mistake behind the scenes that morning and the race organisers were forced to disqualify the winning car,” Wendl explained.
“It shows once again that you can only win on the Nordschleife if everything comes together.”

Potential early return to the Green Hell

The Red Bull driver is expected to return to the famously unforgiving German circuit for the 24 Hours of Nurburgring in May.

However, the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix owing to conflict in the Middle East has created an unexpected gap in the reigning world champion’s primary racing schedule.

This calendar opening has raised the possibility of the prolific racer competing in the next round of the endurance series next month.

“We’re looking into it,” he responded when questioned about a swift comeback.
“It depends if it is feasible, but I’m always happy to race here.”

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has warned of potential “political knives” as his team looks to extend their perfect start to the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Silver Arrows have dominated the opening rounds of the new regulatory era.

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli have secured a victory apiece to deliver consecutive one-two finishes in Australia and China.

These early results have established a commanding lead for the Brackley-based squad in the Constructors’ Championship.

However, Wolff anticipates off-track challenges as rival teams look to close the performance gap.

“Let’s see what kind of political knives are going to come out in the next few weeks and months,” Wolff said.
“But at the moment it’s a car that is capable of winning.”

Leclerc concedes Mercedes are ‘big favourites’

The Monegasque racer admitted the Italian outfit faces a significant challenge to catch their rivals.

“Mercedes are very strong in general,” Leclerc noted.
“I said it multiple times that this year will all be about development, but the Mercedes is extremely strong.”
“They are, for sure, the big favourites. If we manage to turn that situation around, it will be very impressive.”

Development race and engine regulations

Rival manufacturers could receive a lifeline through Formula 1’s new Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system.

Teams possessing an internal combustion engine deemed to be at least two per cent behind the class leader will be granted extra development time.

The first evaluation point is scheduled to follow the Monaco Grand Prix in June.

The paddock is also fiercely debating the impact of the 2026 power units, which feature an equal split between electric and combustion power.

This heavier reliance on electrical deployment has led to a divisive, yoyo-style pattern of overtaking on track.

Protecting F1’s newest race winner

Alongside managing paddock politics, Wolff remains focused on nurturing his 19-year-old sensation.

Antonelli made history in China by becoming the youngest pole-sitter in the sport’s history before converting it into a maiden victory.

Despite this remarkable triumph in only his second top-flight campaign, the Austrian team boss insists the teenager still requires protection from the intense media spotlight.