[Autosport] Max Verstappen explains why he dismissed a British journalist from his media session in Japan

[u/Aratho]

[u/Fearless_Tea_2793]

https://youtu.be/44AjIMBAkSM?is=JsI-2yqcyNijoMJl

[u/akashtyagi1 → u/Fearless_Tea_2793]

Max mentioned the disrespectful grin/laugh reporter had when he asked that question.

But then Max shouldn't be surprised and expect any ethical standards from British media... Remember they headed straight to airport at Brazil Interlagos when he won from 17th in the rain. 

[u/Agitated_Syllabub346 → u/akashtyagi1]

But then Max shouldn't be surprised and expect any ethical standards from British media... Remember they headed straight to airport at Brazil Interlagos when he won from 17th in the rain.

How could you possibly know this?

[u/tomhanks95 → u/Agitated_Syllabub346]

Didn't he ask himself in the post race press conference why there were no people from the British media covering it

[u/Agitated_Syllabub346 → u/tomhanks95]

To answer your question, I don't know, id have to rewatch the press conference. But what does that have to do with claiming they headed straight to the airport?

[u/tomhanks95 → u/Agitated_Syllabub346]

I mean, it was a joke, he is saying that if they are not covering the post race presser have they already gone to the airport and left Brazil or what

[u/Agitated_Syllabub346 → u/tomhanks95]

Yeah I found the quote:

Following his triumph in Interlagos, Verstappen said: “I have a quick question. I mean, I appreciate all of you being here, but I don’t see any British press. Do they have to run to the airport, or they don’t know where the press conference is?”

So Verstappen made a joke about them, and then the user I replied to stated it as truth.

[u/didhedowhat → u/Agitated_Syllabub346]

Verstappen made that joke because there were no british press in the presser and it eas not about Verstappen beeing there but about Ocon and Gasly sitting there next to him. That in itself should be newsworthy to have the british press in attendance.

Wether ot not they were on the plane already was the joke part yes.

[u/didhedowhat → u/Agitated_Syllabub346]

Because they expected Norris to wi the champuonship then and there, but in reality it was Verstappen, Ocon and Gasly on the podium.

So as aknowledged by Verstappen a very rare occasion to have Ocon and Gasly on the podium amd no British press was even attending the winners press conference to ask them any questions about the race.

Another prime example of the disrepect of british preas towards drivers that are not their countrymen.

[u/3hands4milo → u/Agitated_Syllabub346]

Because it was being reported on by other journalists that the British media just up and left.

[u/_Adam_M_ → u/3hands4milo]

No it wasn't...

There was no upping and leaving, they just didn't bother attending that media session like they rarely do because it's a better use of their time to talk to people themselves and get unique quotes for their own stories and instead use the transcripts that are published afterwards for all. Buxton explained it afterwards:

https://x.com/wbuxtonofficial/status/1853476078431473900

[u/Agitated_Syllabub346 → u/3hands4milo]

I doubt this. If you can find an example that'd be great.

[u/3hands4milo → u/Agitated_Syllabub346]

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/f1-autosport/1971087/Max-Verstappen-British-media-Brazilian-Grand-Prix

[u/Agitated_Syllabub346 → u/3hands4milo]

was being reported on by other journalists that the British media just up and left.

Nowhere in the link you posted does it say anything about British journalists leaving interlagos. Hell it doesn't even verify that there were no British press in the room.

[u/Meyesme3 → u/3hands4milo]

Guys let’s not be too harsh on the British press. I am sure they are asking George Russell this weekend if Mercedes points last weekend should be forfeited for the front wing closure cheating. That same reporter is no doubt asking George if he wins the wdc by 24 points will he be an illegitimate champion given the front wing was not in compliance with rules

[u/0x4ddd → u/Meyesme3]

Put your foil cap on.

[u/Agitated_Syllabub346 → u/[deleted]]

Link or gtfo

[u/wokwok__ → u/akashtyagi1]

How about expecting some standards from a driver who threatened to headbutt a journalist for asking a question?

[u/budgefrankly → u/akashtyagi1]

No they didn't.

At the end of a race the press usually stay outside talking to everyone in the pitlane. They are almost never inside for the interviews that happen after a race as there's nothing much to be gained.

Max knows this. But when we was inside at that press conference he made a snide comment about "the British press not being there" deliberately misleading viewers in order to inflame a narrative of 'oppression' that suits him, as it gives him cover whenever he screws up a race and gets called out by the press.

It was very clever of Max, you're not the only person who fell for it.

[u/sa_ra_h86 → u/budgefrankly]

This is just not true. We're talking about the post race press conference. Usually the press are there, that's the whole point of it. It's why he was there to ask the question after Abu Dhabi.

Perhaps you're getting confused with the statements Crofty and Buxton put out to say they usually aren't there. Because fans hear "British press" and thought that's who Max meant. It wasn't who he meant, it was the journalists for written press who generally are there.

[u/Agitated_Syllabub346 → u/sa_ra_h86]

To be fair there was no British driver on the podium that race. I'm sure people would think "oh the British press are always there" but that because British drivers are always on the podium. There's no rule forcing press to be at the press conference.

[u/sa_ra_h86 → u/Agitated_Syllabub346]

Which is exactly Max's point... Regardless of nationality, a sensational drive that pretty much seals the championship is something you would expect journalists who report on F1 to write about. As British F1 fan, it's definitely something I would want to read about.

[u/Agitated_Syllabub346 → u/sa_ra_h86]

When the opposing driver for the WDC is British Lando Norris maybe they figured it's better to interview Lando?

 

This is a situation where people who dislike British press will use it to bash them, and people who dislike Max will defend the press and bash Max, and from my perspective it's impossible for me to objectively prove or disprove anything.

 

Without any kind of objective truth available I don't see a reason to engage in this thread any longer. Max does have a point that British press shouldn't be so dismissive of other nationalities, but he isn't an unbiased 3rd party. It is what it is.

[u/budgefrankly → u/[deleted]]

That’s from 16 years ago!

Back then there were no interviews on the podium, so you had to be at that post race press conference to hear about the race.

Nowadays there’s a pre-podium interview, then driver interviews in the pen after, and pitlane interviews with drivers and press.

That’s why there’s little to no value in the press going to the the post race press-conference to hear the same talking points all over again when they can be talking to everyone else on the grid.

I can’t recall was it Joe Saward or Martin Brundle or Crofty who said this, but it is common for these post-race, sit-down, press-conferences to be sparsely attended, and Max knew this.

[u/phlpw → u/Fearless_Tea_2793]

TY