The 2024 Formula 1 season saw Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen find himself in hot water during one interaction with the media.
At the Singapore Grand Prix, Max Verstappen swore when describing his Red Bull car and ended up in a disagreement with the FIA that saw him briefly boycott their press conferences.
He gave the shortest answers possible and carried out some community service ahead of the FIA’s Prize Giving Ceremony in Rwanda while holding impromptu question-and-answer sessions with the media in the paddock.
Verstappen has never been a driver to mince his words and that can make him an intimidating interviewee for journalists.
George Russell and Verstappen’s feud at the end of last season demonstrated that he’s not afraid to say what he really thinks about someone, regardless of the consequences.
F1 TV host Laura Winter was speaking on The Red Flags Podcast and told the story of her first time speaking with the 27-year-old.
She admitted that she already had an idea of what he would be like to talk to but the Dutchman completely took her by surprise.
Laura Winter explains how ‘professional’ Max Verstappen was the first time she interviewed him
Winter was talking about her first weekend working in Formula 1 at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix.
It’s a race weekend that will never be forgotten after the death of F2 star Anthoine Hubert and Winter explained how difficult this was for everyone in the paddock.
Winter then talked about what her role was before the race and her first interaction with the future four-time world champion Verstappen.
She said: “Before that race had happened, I remember I was tasked with doing stage interviews with Max Verstappen.
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“I’d obviously seen a lot of Drive to Survive and how he was portrayed and the things they caught on camera, the way he spoke to journalists and the way he interacted and so I was so nervous to have to interview him and to be speaking to him.
“I thought, is he going to be that kind of short and almost aggressive as it seems he is?
“He was the most professional, nicest guy. [He is] super welcoming, he just got the job done and that I think will stay with me and that’s continued through my career talking to Max Verstappen.
“He is the most professional in an interview, he has had that many tough times in recent races, but he is a super professional, warm, nice, friendly guy when you get him on a good day.”
Liam Lawson would agree with Laura Winter’s opinion of Max Verstappen
Winter may be glad she spoke to Verstappen before that race in Belgium rather than afterwards.
The Dutchman’s race ended before the end of the first lap after a collision with Kimi Raikkonen as Charles Leclerc went on to win his maiden Grand Prix.
However, while Verstappen does come across quite bluntly at times, he’s a very different person behind the scenes.
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New Red Bull teammate Liam Lawson claimed Verstappen was the most relaxed driver in F1 which some may agree with while others will look at his conduct on the track and wonder where the Kiwi has got that impression.
However, judging by Winter’s comments, it shows that the 27-year-old is an expert at separating his feelings while racing and away from the circuit.
It’ll be interesting to see just how relaxed Verstappen is this season if Red Bull continue to be less competitive than McLaren and Ferrari.
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