Hamilton and Verstappen to skip FIA press conference ahead of Japanese GP

Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen will be absent from the official FIA press conference on Thursday ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, opting instead to fulfill separate media commitments. The session will feature a younger lineup of drivers, including Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman and Williams rookie Franco Colapinto, alongside more established names.

Why it matters:

The pre-race press conference is a staple of the F1 weekend, offering direct access to the sport's biggest stars. The absence of its two most decorated and currently dominant champions—with 11 titles between them—shifts the media spotlight and raises questions about the balance between mandatory promotional duties and teams' individual sponsor and partner obligations.

The details:

• The FIA has confirmed the driver lineup for Thursday's media sessions in Suzuka.
• Session 1 (12:30 Local Time): Franco Colapinto (Williams), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin), and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari).
• Session 2 (13:00 Local Time): Oliver Bearman (Haas), Lando Norris (McLaren), and Liam Lawson (RB).
• The team principals' press conference on Friday will feature Ayao Komatsu (Haas), Koji Watanabe (RB), and Andrea Stella (McLaren).
• Hamilton (Mercedes) and Verstappen (Red Bull) are scheduled to participate in other, team-organized media activities, a common practice for top drivers with heavy sponsorship schedules.

What's next:

The on-track action begins at Suzuka on Friday with practice sessions. For European viewers, it marks another weekend of early starts, with the race itself scheduled for 07:00 CET on Sunday. The focus will quickly shift from the press room to the track, where Verstappen will aim to rebound from his retirement in Australia and Hamilton will look to build momentum with Mercedes.