The question related to an incident at last year’s Spanish Grand Prix, when the 28-year-old deliberately turned into Russell in a moment of frustration. He received a 10-second time penalty, which cost him nine points. He ultimately lost the title by two. Verstappen was clearly rattled by the question as he accused Richards of having a ‘stupid grin’ on his face.

After qualifying at the Japanese Grand Prix, the Dutchman was asked to explain why he kicked Giles out of his press conference on Thursday and responded at length.

“For me, that particular question I think I’ve answered like 20 times with different people,” he told Dutch broadcaster Viaplay.

“So it’s not about the question. I always explain it very well with the thought process and what happened back then. But after the final race, when you ask that question and you start laughing in my face while asking the question, and it’s clearly done with bad intent to ask the question at that point, it shows a massive lack of respect.

“For me, when you’re not respectful towards me, I don’t need to be respectful towards you. I think that’s how it works in life, very straightforward, very simple, and that’s why I did that, that’s why I did it here on Thursday. For me, it’s not correct.

“I have a lot of respect for everyone. I get asked a lot of questions, a lot of stupid questions as well, but I answer them. It’s not always that a question is great or whatever, that’s part of Formula One. But this particular case, it was clearly done with bad intent.

“Of course, at that time in Abu Dhabi, you only see the camera pointed at my face, so you don’t see what is behind the camera and how people ask questions. For me, it was very clear it was done in a very disrespectful way.”

Asked if he would be willing to sit down with Richards and clear the air, Verstappen replied: “Not now.”

Verstappen endured a nightmare qualifying session at Suzuka as he failed to make it through to Q3. He will begin Sunday’s race from 11th on the grid.