Verstappen warns FIA: Silly penalties could ‘decide my future’ in F1

Max Verstappen has called out the FIA once again for its crackdown on drivers using foul language, insisting the governing body’s “silly” stance could “definitely” convince him to leave the sport.

The three-time world champion was sanctioned this week by the FIA for using the F-word to describe his car in Thursday’s official press conference in Singapore.

Verstappen was handed a yet-to-be-specified public service duty for his “misconduct”, as labeled by the stewards, a punishment that follows the FIA’s stricter policy on discourse - personally promoted by president Mohammed Ben Sulayem - that was announced this week in a bid to maintain professionalism during official events.

Verstappen immediate reaction was to give terse, one-word answers during Saturday’s press conference at marina Bay, although he spoke more normally about his day in an impromptu media session held outside the official press room.

After finishing runner-up to Lando Norris in Sunday’s race, Verstappen was again rather laconic in the FIA’s official post-race presser.

• Read also: Verstappen hit with public service duty for swearing in F1 presser

However, when asked if the FIA’s policy and penalties might make him reconsider his future in F1, the Red Bull charger was much more communicative.

"For sure. Yeah. I mean, these kinds of things definitely decide my future as well," Verstappen said.

"When you can't be yourself, you have to deal with these kinds of silly things...I think now, I'm at a stage of my career that I don't want to be dealing with this all the time. It's really tiring.”

Verstappen, who has already won multiple world championships and countless races, suggested that he wants to enjoy his time in the sport rather than be bogged down by unnecessary distractions.

"Of course it's great to have success and win races, but once you have accomplished all that, winning championships and races, then you want to just have a good time as well,” he added.

"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 kind of silly things: for me, that is not a way of continuing in the sport, that's for sure."

When questioned about whether the FIA would be willing to risk losing a world champion over strict rules governing language in official settings, Verstappen seemed skeptical that the organization would take such threats seriously.

He also referenced Lewis Hamilton’s suggestion to ignore the community service penalty, saying, "He’s also not the one being punished!"

"I don't know how serious they will take that kind of stuff," he said. "But for me at one point when it's enough, it's enough. And we'll see. Everything will go on, I have no doubt.

"It's not a problem because Formula 1 will go on without me, but it's also not a problem for me. So it's how it is.

"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.

"That's what I'm thinking about, and for me, I shouldn't waste any energy on it actually because it's just very silly."

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