Max Verstappen Skips FIA Media Duties Ahead of Canadian Grand Prix
Max Verstappen will be absent from one of the official Formula 1 media sessions scheduled for the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend, as confirmed by the FIA. The Dutch driver will not be participating in Thursday’s driver press conference, a regular event ahead of every race weekend where selected drivers speak to the media.
Typically, the Formula 1 media schedule features three formal press conferences—two on Thursday and one on Friday. Thursday’s events are focused on drivers, while Friday is dedicated to team principals. However, Verstappen, the reigning world champion and four-time title holder, is noticeably missing from the Thursday line-up this week. The FIA confirmed his absence when releasing the official press conference schedule for the Montreal race.
Instead of Verstappen, Thursday’s media responsibilities will be handled by other notable drivers. Among those attending the first press conference at 19:30 GMT are Franco Colapinto (Alpine), local hero Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), and Lewis Hamilton, who is now racing for Ferrari. Later at 20:00 GMT, a second group of drivers will address the press, including Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber), Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), and Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls).
The Friday media session, scheduled for 20:30 GMT, will feature three team principals: Fred Vasseur of Ferrari, Ayao Komatsu of Haas, and James Vowles of Williams. Notably, Red Bull’s team principal Christian Horner is not listed either, further reducing the Red Bull camp’s media presence this weekend.
Verstappen’s absence from the media day is not unprecedented. He missed the Thursday media session at the Miami Grand Prix earlier this year due to personal reasons. On that occasion, he skipped press duties to be with his partner Kelly Piquet for the birth of their daughter, Lily. He arrived in the United States later to participate in the race weekend.
However, Verstappen’s absence from the Canadian GP press conference comes at a time when he is under increasing pressure on and off the track. He currently trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by 49 points, following a challenging outing at the previous round.
During the most recent Grand Prix, Verstappen was involved in a controversial collision with Mercedes driver George Russell. The incident earned Verstappen a 10-second time penalty and three penalty points on his license. The stewards deemed him at fault for the contact, which significantly altered the outcome of his race. He was demoted to 10th place, collecting just a single point and damaging his pursuit of a fifth world championship title. The penalty points also bring Verstappen dangerously close to a race ban, as F1 drivers receive a one-race suspension if they accumulate 12 points within a 12-month period. Verstappen is now only one point away from that threshold.
The absence from media duties could be interpreted as a move to avoid further scrutiny amid his title struggles and recent disciplinary issues. It may also be a strategic decision by Red Bull Racing to let Verstappen focus solely on his performance ahead of what promises to be a critical weekend for the team.
The Canadian Grand Prix, held at Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, is known for its unpredictability and challenging conditions, often throwing up surprises. With the championship battle heating up and Verstappen’s position under threat, all eyes will be on how he responds on track—particularly after the turbulence of recent weeks.
Fans and pundits alike will be eager to see whether Verstappen can bounce back and regain momentum in his championship campaign or if Piastri and the rest of the grid will continue to widen the gap at the top.
