You’d think being Max Verstappen would be pretty good. He is the Formula One world champion for a second year running and, on Sunday in Mexico City, set a new record by winning 14 races in a season which is not even over yet.
But he is not at all happy, he says, thanks to comments from British TV reporter Ted Kravitz which questioned the validity of his 2021 title and he has thrown his toys out of the pram – with a little help from team boss Christian Horner.
Verstappen and the wider Red Bull team refused to take part in any interviews with Sky Sports following its UK coverage of the United States GP, where veteran pit journalist Kravitz used the word ‘robbed’ when discussing Lewis Hamilton’s defeat to Verstappen nearly 12 months ago.
The Dutchman branded the UK coverage ‘disrespectful. I don’t accept it, I’m not tolerating it any more’.
Horner called the broadcaster’s comments ‘derogatory, sensationalist and unbalanced’, adding: ‘Max was very upset about it. We were equally upset about it. I took the decision that we’ll have a weekend off. Service will be resumed in Brazil.’