Max Verstappen has suggested that the punishment he received for swearing during a news conference might hasten his departure from Formula 1.
The 26-year-old Dutch driver, who has repeatedly stated that he is not driven by breaking records or having a lengthy career in the sport, expressed his frustration after the incident, which occurred following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
Verstappen’s punishment came after he used profanity to describe his car’s performance during an official pre-event news conference in Singapore.
As a result, the race stewards ordered him to “accomplish some work of public interest.” In protest, Verstappen gave short answers in the post-qualifying news conference, and later voiced his dissatisfaction to the media, calling the punishment “ridiculous.”
“These kinds of things definitely decide my future as well,” Verstappen said. “When you can’t be yourself or you have to deal with these kinds of silly things, it’s really tiring. For me, that is not a way of continuing in the sport, that’s for sure.”
The reigning world champion, who finished second to Lando Norris in the Singapore Grand Prix, made it clear that his patience was wearing thin. He lamented the lack of freedom to express his true feelings in the sport, stating that such restrictions prevent athletes from being authentic.
“If you can’t really be yourself to the fullest, then it’s better not to speak,” Verstappen said. “But that’s what no one wants because then you become a robot and that’s not how you should be going about it in the sport. You should be able to show emotions in a way. That’s what racing is about. Any sport.”
Verstappen also noted that while he was uncertain about how seriously the governing body, the FIA, would take his complaints, he was clear about his own limits.
“For me, when it’s enough, it’s enough, and we’ll see,” he said. “Racing will go on, F1 will go on without me. It’s not a problem. But also, it’s not a problem for me.”
He voiced his frustration over what he perceived as unfair treatment, particularly after offering voluntary support to the FIA in the past, such as working with junior stewards earlier in the year. Verstappen felt his efforts to help the governing body had not been reciprocated with fair treatment.
“I am not a difficult person to say no. I’m like: ‘OK, sure, if that’s what you guys like, I like to help out.’ And then I get treated like that. Well, that’s just not how it works,” Verstappen explained.
Other F1 drivers, including his title rival Lando Norris and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, backed Verstappen’s stance. Verstappen shared that the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) found the ruling laughable, with many considering it “silly.”
Verstappen was noncommittal about how long he would continue to adopt a defiant stance in news conferences, saying he would “see where we are at” by the time of the next race in Austin, Texas, in October. He also criticized what he saw as ill-considered decisions by race officials, including a recent fine issued to Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz for crossing the track after a crash.
These issues overshadowed a weekend in which Verstappen finished second to Norris, keeping his title lead intact despite Red Bull’s struggles in Singapore. While Norris reduced his points deficit to 52 with six races remaining, Verstappen remains in control of the championship, though he remains frustrated with the off-track drama.
For Verstappen, the frustrations off the track, rather than his performance on it, seem to be playing a larger role in his thinking about the future.