Poll: Official Japanese Grand Prix 2026 Thread - Suzuka Circuit - Race 3/22

Rate the Japan race out of ten

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chrismscotland

chrismscotland

chrismscotland

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Let's not forget the race was made all the worse by the comical grass fires every 3 minutes.
Hope it rains, or they've at least watered the grass weeks in advance...
 
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sidimmu said:
Not really, the journalist understood what he was not meant to ask, asked anyway and got booted out.
Max isnt in the mood to entertain someone who cannot respect boundaries.
FAFO, simple.
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You seem to be struggling to grasp what happened.

The journalist did not ask Max a single question today, the press conference couldn't even start because Max refused to do the press conference with the Guardian journalist in the room. Why ? Because he is still upset about this interaction between them in Abu Dhabi

Q: (Giles Richards – The Guardian) Max, you lost out to Lando by just two points. What do you think now about the incident with George Russell in Spain? Do you regret that looking back in hindsight?

MV: 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. I don’t know. Yeah, it’s part of racing at the end. You live and learn. The championship is one of 24 rounds. I’ve also had a lot of early Christmas presents given to me in the second half, so you can also question that.


I have no idea where you got this nonsense about the journalist not being allowed to ask the question and max not wanting to entertain it from ? What a bizarre take given the journalist was allowed to ask the question and Max did indeed answer it
 
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imtoooldforthis said:
You seem to be struggling to grasp what happened.
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Not really, I remember it very clearly.
Yes that example did not happen today, it happened post race AD25.

All journalists get told about information they are not to ask about, it was no different with Max at AD25, its been documented clearly and the journalist stepped outside the boundary and receive a repercussion, not hard to understand.
Max responded to it, but does that feel like a response thats genuine? No its clearly an annoyed response and now as a result, that journalist is not allowed to go to other interviews with MV.
 
sidimmu said:
Not really, I remember it very clearly.
Yes that example did not happen today, it happened post race AD25.

All journalists get told about information they are not to ask about, it was no different with Max at AD25, its been documented clearly and the journalist stepped outside the boundary and receive a repercussion, not hard to understand.
Max responded to it, but does that feel like a response thats genuine? No its clearly an annoyed response and now as a result, that journalist is not allowed to go to other interviews with MV.
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Where is the evidence that the journalist was told not to mention the Russell incident? Why should a journalist be stopped from asking a pretty reasonable question which is relevant to Max not winning a title ? It wasn't a particularly tough question, Max even answered it but it obviously struck a nerve with him, hence him holding beef over it 4 months later. Football managers get far tougher questions at the end of every match they lose.

You seem to want a world where drivers can filter the media to their liking and not ever be asked tough questions.
 
imtoooldforthis said:
This is wild. The Guardian journalist didn't even ask him a question today but Max remembered the same journalist asking him a tough question in Abu Dhabi last season about regretting the Russell incident in Spain, and thus refused to start today's press conference until the journalist left.
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To be fair, it was a stupid question but that's 90% of journalists - most of them probably just show up because it's a free ticket and travel.

The best thing to do is give a stupid answer to a stupid question.
 
Mesai said:
To be fair, it was a stupid question but that's 90% of journalists - most of them probably just show up because it's a free ticket and travel.

The best thing to do is give a stupid answer to a stupid question.
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From a journalistic perspective, it's a logical question to ask, you just have to look at how many people brought it up in discussion during the title run-in.

It's certainly not a nice question, and I'd agree with Max that it's an example of cherry picking given all the other things that happened in the season... but ultimately that incident did cost him the title, and it was an incident that he had control of, unlike DNFS etc...

I'm surprised he holds beef over it tbh, his original response to the question was pretty fair I thought. I'd have just left it at that.
 
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imtoooldforthis said:
You seem to want a world where drivers can filter the media to their liking and not ever be asked tough questions.
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No I dont, I never said such a thing so tell me where this reach has come from.

If a driver or someone thats in the public eye turns around and says I dont want to head questions from that paper, whats the problem?
Or do you not agree with liverpudlians boycotting the sun? As its the exact same thing.

imtoooldforthis said:
but ultimately that incident did cost him the title, and it was an incident that he had control of, unlike DNFS etc...
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Maybe go back and read Max's response to the original question, it seems you need to hear his answer.
 
sidimmu said:
If a driver or someone thats in the public eye turns around and says I dont want to head questions from that paper, whats the problem?
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Is the problem not that it's an FIA press conference, that Max *has* to attend and *has* to answer questions in because he's employed as an F1 driver. He can choose not to be there by choosing not to be an F1 driver. His behaviour in those FIA press conferences is dictated by the FIA and he can be penalised based on that.

This is not Max as an individual dealing with the press, where he would have every right to answer what/how he wants and to whom he wants. But in an FIA press conference he doesn't get that luxury.

The FIA invited the Guardian journalist so, at least from my understanding of the setup, by Max refusing to proceed with the journalist there he could be penalised by the FIA. He probably won't be and arguably shoudn't be, but that is an option because he is not the one in control of these conferences.

So back to the original Abu Dhabi incident Max can ask not to be asked about something all he wants, the journalists are completely free to ignore him as this guy did, and clearly he got the rise he wanted so job done in this clickbaity world I guess.
 
I've got no hate for Verstappen, he can be a bit of a naughty boy on track when required to do so, but you can find endless quotes of me on here calling him comfortably the best driver of his generation and possibly the all-time GOAT.

It's just odd to say you don't care what anyone says or thinks, but then be rattled by a question from 4 months ago.


sidimmu said:
If a driver or someone thats in the public eye turns around and says I dont want to head questions from that paper, whats the problem?
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Nothing, he can refuse the question, they are only allowed to ask 1 question each, so that effectively nullifies him. Refusing to start a press conference until the journalist leaves the room is petty imo, if he had reported stuff on Max's private life then it would be understandable.

sidimmu said:
Or do you not agree with liverpudlians boycotting the sun? As its the exact same thing.
Click to expand...

Liverpudlians boycott The Sun because it printed lies about scousers robbing their own fans' dead bodies, amongst numerous other dubious claims.

Max boycotts The Guardian because a journalist asked him a question about an on-track racing incident, which he didn't want to be asked.

...


sidimmu said:
All journalists get told about information they are not to ask about, it was no different with Max at AD25, its been documented clearly and the journalist stepped outside the boundary and receive a repercussion
Click to expand...

Do you have a source that journalists were told by FIA/F1 to not ask Max about Spain in AD25 ?

Do you also have a source for the Guardian Journalist being disciplined by F1/FIA for asking that question?

I'm not the best googler but so far I can't find anything to back up either of these claims.

If both are true, then I'm willing to change my stance somewhat :cool:
 
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I do think it's a bit petty from Max. Refusing to start a press conference because one journalist last year asked you a question you didn't like isn't a great showing.

If it was another driving doing it (imagine Stroll doing the same thing!) we'd all be calling them a wet wipe.
 
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