Max Verstappen has hinted at a potential early exit from Formula 1, voicing frustration over the FIA’s response to his conduct during a pre-Singapore Grand Prix press conference. The issue arose when Verstappen received a ‘community service’ penalty for swearing, a punishment he deemed “ridiculous”. “I find it, of course, ridiculous what happens. So why should I then give full answers?” Verstappen questioned, expressing his displeasure.
Verstappen plans to limit his responses in future press conferences as a protest. “I prefer then not to speak a lot, save my voice and I mean, we can do the interviews also somewhere else, if you need some answers to the questions asked,” he stated. The Dutch driver criticized the FIA’s decision to make an example of him, despite his comments not being aimed at anyone specifically. “Now with me, they wanted to set an even bigger example, I guess. Which for me is a bit weird, of course,” he noted.
Lewis Hamilton supported Verstappen, calling the punishment a “bit of a joke”. Verstappen’s irritation extends beyond the incident, hinting these issues might influence his future in F1. “For sure. Yeah. I mean, these kinds of things definitely decide my future as well,” Verstappen revealed. As the drama unfolds, Verstappen maintains his focus on upcoming races, notably in Austin. “At the moment I’m not even thinking about that ruling. I’m just focused on the performance, what we are going to do for Austin and beyond,” he emphasized.
