Why Lewis Hamilton once walked out of F1 press conference over ‘disrespectful’ coverage

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Max Verstappen inadvertently emulated Lewis Hamilton when he refused to take part in an F1 press conference in Singapore earlier this year. Verstappen wouldn’t properly engage with journalists’ questions in the Marina Bay press room.

Verstappen was ordered to carry out FIA community service after swearing in Friday’s presser. He felt the punishment was both unfair and inconsistent.

Following Saturday’s qualifying session, where he joined Lando Norris and Hamilton in the top three, the reigning world champion gave deliberately brief answers. He invited the reporters to speak to him outside, where he wouldn’t be subject to the same restrictions.

True to his word, Verstappen carried out a media huddle in the open air of the paddock. After winning the Sprint at the US GP, he resumed normal procedure.

Verstappen completed his community service in Rwanda last month. The country played host to the FIA’s prizegiving ceremony, where he received the championship trophy.

Nearly nine years ago, when Verstappen was still a teenager, Hamilton also refused to answer questions from the media. But he went a step further, walking out of the room entirely.

Lewis Hamilton boycotted F1 press conference at Japanese Grand Prix over Snapchat backlash

Hamilton arrived at the 2016 Japanese Grand Prix in the midst of a title battle with Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg. It was a vital weekend as he sought to recover from a devastating engine failure in Malaysia that left him 23 points behind.

But Hamilton had appeared somewhat disinterested in the Thursday press conference. He shared a series of Snapchat stories with playful filters.

In a tense exchange, one journalist asked the two-time champion what he was looking at on his phone. Hamilton suggested he had grown tired of a supposedly stale format.

“It’s quite funny, just some snaps of us drivers,” he said. “That’s about it. Hey man, we’ve been doing this a long, long time and it’s the same each time so [we’ve] got to keep adding new things to it.”

Rosberg went on to take pole position, a mere two-hundredths ahead of Hamilton. But the British driver was unhappy with the backlash he’d received, prompting him to walk out of his Saturday media duties.

Asked in the Mercedes press room if he had something on his mind, he said (via ESPN): “Yeah, I do and the smiles on your faces will probably be no longer. I’m not actually here to answer your questions, I’ve decided.

“The other day was a super lighthearted thing and if you thought that I was disrespectful, it was honestly not the intention. It was a little bit of fun.

• READ MORE: Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family

“But what was more disrespectful was what was then written worldwide. I’m just kind of in a position where – unfortunately there are some people here and it’s not them that have done it – unfortunately the decision I will take affects those that are super supportive.

“That’s why I say with the utmost respect, but I don’t really plan on sitting at many more times for these kinds of things. So, my apologies, and I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your weekend.”

Does Lewis Hamilton need a ‘cotton ball’ around him to succeed in F1?

There are some concerns about Hamilton’s mindset ahead of his upcoming move to Ferrari. He’s coming off the back of statistically his poorest F1 season to date.

Hamilton ‘no longer believes in himself’, according to Tom Coronel, after a 19-5 qualifying thrashing at the hands of George Russell. The 39-year-old has publicly said he’s not ‘fast anymore’.

Toto Wolff wrapped a ‘cotton ball’ around Hamilton, one journalist says. But Ferrari will struggle to protect him from the notoriously ruthless Italian press.

After they finished within 14 points of McLaren last year, the Scuderia face the burden of expectation. Anything less than both championships in 2025 may be regarded as a disappointment.