Max Verstappen stages protest at Singapore GP as war of words with FIA…read more.
Max Verstappen staged a protest during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend following a dispute with the FIA over a recent penalty he received. The Dutch driver, known for his outspoken nature, responded to his punishment by refusing to provide detailed answers during the post-qualifying press conference. Instead, he gave either “no comment” or very short, comical responses before speaking more openly with the media outside the conference room.
Verstappen’s unusual protest stemmed from a penalty he received for using inappropriate language during Thursday’s media day. After being called to the stewards, he was instructed to complete “some work of public interest” as a result of the incident. The FIA’s decision to penalize him for the use of swear words was met with frustration, not just by Verstappen but reportedly by other drivers as well.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after qualifying, Verstappen expressed his disappointment with the FIA’s decision. “It’s just ridiculous to get a penalty for that,” Verstappen stated. “When you insult someone, that’s pretty clear. I didn’t even aim it at a person. It was just a bit of a slip-of-the-tongue moment.”
He acknowledged that the stewards were simply following the rules but criticized the broader approach, saying it wasn’t the best way for the sport to move forward. Verstappen clarified that while the stewards were bound by the rulebook, he believed the regulation itself was too strict in this case. “It’s in the rules. Honestly, this is not even the fault of the stewards, as they are just bound by the rulebook,” Verstappen explained. “I actually had a great chat with them about it, they are very understanding, but it’s in the rules, and you have to apply something. But for me, it’s not the right way to go forward in our sport.”
When Verstappen spoke to the media outside the press conference, he continued to voice his dissatisfaction with the decision. He claimed that the FIA was using him to set an example and enforce stricter standards for drivers, even when no direct harm was caused. “They want to set the precedent, and people got warnings or a little fine. Now with me, they wanted to set an even bigger example, I guess. Which for me is a bit weird, of course,” Verstappen commented.
He reiterated that he didn’t aim the swear word at any person in particular but was instead expressing frustration with his car. “Because I didn’t swear at anyone particularly, I just said one thing about my car. But it’s in the code, so they have to follow the book,” Verstappen explained. “I don’t want to blame this on the stewards because I actually had a really good chat with them. They just have to follow the code, and I think they’re quite understanding, but it’s difficult for them as well.”
Despite the off-track controversy, Verstappen remained optimistic about his performance on race day. While Red Bull had anticipated struggles at the Singapore GP, the reigning world champion secured a strong position on the grid, giving him the chance to battle his championship rivals on Sunday.
Verstappen’s protest against the FIA highlights the ongoing tension between drivers and the sport’s governing body over regulations, with the Dutchman voicing concerns about the direction of F1’s rule enforcement.
