Max Verstappen has backed Adrian Newey’s bold comments.
Max Verstappen has backed Adrian Newey’s recent comments suggesting there is bias in the British media towards the likes of three-time world champion and former Red Bull star Sebastian Vettel.
During a recent appearance on the High Performance podcast, Newey – who was announced as a member of the Aston Martin team from 2025 onwards ahead of the Baku race – suggested that Sky Sports and other British media are biased towards Verstappen and other non-British drivers.
“I think from the outside, I’m not sure people really understand and appreciate Max, like they didn’t with Sebastian,” the Aston Martin engineer explained. “First of all, there is a kind of demonisation that both of them have suffered, which I think is very unfair, and maybe a little bit of the British media too if I’m honest.
“Sky have a huge influence around the world, the viewership is really international, but their coverage is quite nationalistic, I dare say, and that can have an impact. It’s something that nowadays with the press, there’s a tendency to either put people on a pedestal or take them down.”
When asked about his long-time colleague’s comments, Verstappen didn’t mince words. “Absolutely. I agree 100 per cent,” he told Viaplay. “Look at it like this: if 85 per cent of the media is Dutch, then you always have a hidden bias for a Dutchman to do better than the others.
“And in terms of discussion, you always defend your own people over others. That’s just the way things are, you know that. Of course, you try to be as neutral as possible and some countries go too far with that, I think.
“I just do my job. With some people you have a good relationship and with some people you don’t care. In the end, what matters is that I do well on the track. They can say and shout whatever they want, it doesn’t matter!”
Verstappen is no stranger to the nuances of a British title battle, having gone toe-to-toe with Lewis Hamilton in one of the most thrilling World Championship battles in the sport’s history in 2021.
That history is now repeating itself as Verstappen finds himself in a battle with Lando Norris. Both the Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship titles are up for grabs ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi in December.
