Max Verstappen has told a British journalist to “get out” of his media session three times during a tense exchange ahead of this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.

The four-time F1 world champion had just sat down for his print duties inside the Red Bull hospitality suite when he spotted Guardian reporter Giles Richards.

“I’m not speaking before he leaves,” said Verstappen, who was seemingly still aggrieved at a news conference which followed last season’s finale in Abu Dhabi in December.

On that occasion, Richards had asked Verstappen if he had regretted deliberately driving into George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Verstappen was sanctioned by the stewards for the incident in Barcelona. He was demoted from fifth to 10^th, which cost him nine championship points. Verstappen ended last season just two points behind Lando Norris as the British driver secured his maiden world crown.

“You forget about all the other stuff that happened in my season,” said Verstappen in Abu Dhabi. “The only thing that you mention is Barcelona. I knew that would come. And you are giving me a stupid grin now.”

In Suzuka, Richards asked “seriously?” when Verstappen told him to leave.

“Yep,” the 28-year-old said.

Richards replied: “Because of the question last year? You want me to leave?”

Verstappen answered “yeah”, with Richards walking towards the Dutch driver’s table to collect his dictaphone.

He said: “It’s just the question I asked you in Abu Dhabi? About Spain?”

Verstappen replied: “Get out … get out!”

Richards added: “You’re really that upset about it?”

Verstappen replied again: “Get out.”

Richards left the hospitality suite following the 30-second argument.

“Now, we can start,” said Verstappen with a smile before going on to conduct his 10-minute duties as usual.

Verstappen heads into this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix already 43 points off the championship pace following a difficult start to the new season in his under-performing Red Bull.

Self-deprecating Aussie Oscar Piastri was in a more jovial mood during Thursday’s media day – and happy to outline what would bring a smile back to his face in the Grand Prix.

“Start the race – that would probably help!” he joshed.

Hoping to at last make it to “lights out” in Suzuka after failing to get to the starting grid in either Melbourne or Shanghai, Piastri wasn’t about to make any grandiose predictions about round three of the F1 Championship.

“Just to take part in the grand prix, that would be good. We’ll try and at least see the lights come on this week and go from there,” said the 24-year-old.

“But I think we kind of know where we sit in the pecking order, so we’re not expecting too many surprises there. Just executing a solid weekend would be good.”

No nonsense Norris 😆#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/TLaT12sRLG

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 26, 2026

Piastri missed out in Melbourne because of a reconnaissance-lap crash and then got scuppered by a power unit electrical problem in Shanghai, where his teammate, world champ Lando Norris, also didn’t start.

The pair then had to watch another one-two for Mercedes, with Piastri outlining just how far behind the German team McLaren still are.

“Obviously, we’re optimistic that we can turn things round quickly and we’ve proven we can do that,” said Piastri.

“It is a massive gap to close, though. Even the sprint race in China, the gap is up to a second a lap that we’re lacking.

“So even if we bring some of the upgrades we had in 2023 that vaulted us towards the front of the grid, we need more than one of those to close the gap … we need to find quite a lot from various areas.”

Without any track time in the grand prix races themselves, Piastri shrugged: “Just trying to put in good performances, that’s all I can do. I’ve been happy with my qualifying so far this year.

“It’s just I’ve not had any chances to show it in the race. Clearly the picture is that we’re we’re behind Mercedes and Ferrari, so all I can do is just when I’m on track, show what I can do.”

Norris offered a more upbeat assessment of McLaren’s chances than his teammate as he told reporters: “We’ve ⁠won the last two championships and we won the drivers’ last year because we could build the best car on the grid, and I’m confident we can get back to doing that this year.

“You have to be ⁠patient, but, yes, I have a good belief in the team and I think we can have the best car this year.”

For the moment, that seems a long way off, with McLaren third in the overall standings, already 80 points behind leaders Mercedes and 49 adrift of second-placed Ferrari.

–PA, with AAP