Max Verstappen has elaborated on his silent protest in the official press conferences in Singapore – and hinted that “silly” punishments and restrictions imposed by the FIA could force him out of Formula 1.
On Thursday Verstappen was called to the stewards after using the word “fucked” in a press conference.
He was found guilty and given an “obligation to accomplish some work of public interest.”
Verstappen was back in the same room for official top three conferences after Saturday’s qualifying session and Sunday’s race.
On both occasions he gave minimal answers and instead agreed to speak to journalists outside the official conference, giving him a chance to explain his views on the FIA.
“For me personally there was absolutely no desire to then give long answers, when you get treated like that,” he said.
“I never really felt like I had a bad relationship with them. Even this year, I did voluntary work with junior stewards. I gave them a half an hour interview, like all set up. So I tried to also help out. I’m not a difficult person to say, no, you know. Okay sure, if that’s what you guys like, I like to help out.
“Then you get treated like that. Well, that’s just not how it works. So for me, it was quite straightforward. Because I know that I have to answer, but it doesn’t say how long you have to answer for.”
Verstappen made it clear that he was frustrated by the restrictions on what people can say.
“I think it’s just the wording, the ruling that the sport is heading into for me personally, with these kinds of things.
“I know, of course you can’t insult people, that’s quite straightforward. I think no one really wants to do that. But, yeah, it’s all a bit too soft really, and to be honest, it’s silly, it’s super silly, what we’re dealing with.
“If you can’t really be yourself to the fullest, then it’s better not to speak at the end of the day. But that’s what no one wants, because then you become a robot, and then it’s not how we should be going about it in this sport.”
He added: “I think you should be able to show emotions in a way. That’s what racing is about. I mean, any sport.
“Everyone walking around on a pitch, if they get tackled or get pushed, or there’s something not happy with something, or there’s a frustrating moment or something that they get asked about, I think it’s quite normal, that there can be a sort of reaction.”
He admitted that such distractions could impact his commitment to staying in the sport.
“Oh, for sure, yeah,” he said. “These kinds of things definitely decide my future as well, when you can’t be yourself, or you have to deal with these kind of silly things. I think now I’m at stage of my career that you don’t want to be dealing with this all the time.
“It’s really tiring, of course, it’s great to have success and win races. But once you have accomplished all that, winning championships and races, and then you want to just have a good time as well.
“Of course, everyone is pushing to the limit. Everyone in this battle, even at the back of the grid. But if you have to deal with all these kinds of silly things, for me, that is not a way of continuing in the sport, that’s for sure.”
Asked what the FIA would make of such a threat he said: “I don’t know how serious they will take that kind of stuff, but for me, of course, at one point when it’s enough, it’s enough, and we’ll see.
“Like I said, racing will go on also without me. It’s not a problem, but, also not a problem for me. It’s how it is.”
