Max Verstappen calls out Ted Kravitz in awkward interview ahead of Canadian GP

Max Verstappen was unhappy with Ted Kravitz’s line of questioning in an awkward interview on Thursday at the Canadian Grand Prix.

Verstappen heads into this weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve with 11 penalty points to his name.

If Verstappen hits 12 penalty points, he will be forced to serve a one-race suspension.

Verstappen was penalised at the previous race in Barcelona for colliding with George Russell.

The Dutchman’s anger stemmed from being told by Red Bull to give Russell the place back, as they felt Verstappen had kept the position illegally.

It transpired after the race that Red Bull were wrong to tell Verstappen to move over.

Had they not instructed him to do so, Verstappen wouldn’t have lashed out and thus wouldn’t be on the brink of a race ban.

During an interview with Verstappen, Kravitz alluded to the fact that Jonathan Wheatley - who is now Sauber team principal - isn’t Red Bull’s sporting director and his absence led to the mistake. 

Wheatley was widely regarded as the best sporting director on the grid and, through memorable exchanges with Michael Masi, played a crucial role in Verstappen’s title win.

When discussing Red Bull’s misjudgement, Kravitz referenced Wheatley’s departure and his replacement, Steven Knowles.

Verstappen wasn’t happy with Kravitz naming one team member, in this case Knowles.

Max Verstappen’s exchange with Kravitz - in full

Kravitz started the interview by asking: “So just a question about going forward the negotiation with the stewards or race director on whether places should be given back, or, or, or what.

“Since Jonathan Wheatley went, obviously you have Steven Knowles who is doing it. I assume it was him who told ‘GP’ to tell you to give the place back to George, which wasn’t the right call. The stewards later confirmed that. “How are you working that out with him? Obviously, he’s not been in the job too long since Jonathan’s gone to Sauber. How are you working that out that same situation doesn’t happen again?”

Verstappen responded sharply: “I think it’s not really nice to try single out a person to be honest, because that’s never the case. I think we just look at it as a team. What we always can do better, and that’s also how we look at it in Barcelona. But it’s not fair to now single out one single person.”

An exchange followed related to this topic alone.

TK: “I don’t think I’m singling him out, I just named him…”

MV: “Well, you named him.”

TK: “I just named who he was. Jonathan Wheatley is obviously a well-known guy, I wasn’t saying it was Stephen Knowles his fault.”

MV: “But you mentioned him.”

TK: “Jonathan Wheatley was a well-known guy, he was your rules guy. Now he is the new guy.”

MV: “So we’re talking about him, you’re singling him out.”

TK: “OK, but he’s on the pit wall. He’s a fairly…”

MV: “I do not need to discuss that anyway here “If we ever look at things that we can do better, we do that like every other team. But I’m not going stand here in front of the camera and say who was at fault exactly.”

TK: “I wasn’t asking…”

MV: “We all live and learn.”

TK: “I wasn’t asking you to do that, just to be clear. I was asking how you… live and learn. Thank you, I think you answered it.”