Verstappen ignores FIA after 'ridiculous' swearing punishment

Max Verstappen snubbed Formula One's governing body during a press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix on Saturday as Lewis Hamilton suggested the defending champion should not face a punishment for swearing.

Red Bull's championship leader has been ordered by FIA stewards to perform the sport's equivalent of community service after he swore in an official press conference on Thursday.

Verstappen addressed the audience and broadcasters after qualifying second for Sunday's race, but he appeared hesitant during the FIA press conference with the top three drivers.

When asked what he had modified with the car overnight, Verstappen simply said, "a lot".

When asked to elaborate, he replied, "No, I might get fined or get an extra day."

A follow-up inquiry on his confidence in the race pace produced a "maybe" response, while a question about the race being a step into the unknown was answered with "it's an unknown." Yeah".

"I will find out tomorrow," he remarked when asked about his racing strategy.

The triple world champion then told a reporter that he would rather that the questions be posed outside of the room, offering a thumbs-up sign when asked whether he would like to speak elsewhere.

A follow-up query concerning the prospect of his behavior resulting in another punishment and possibly more community service was replied with a brusque "no comment".

"I'm answering. Just not a lot," Verstappen replied in response to a follow-up question about how long he planned not to answer questions at FIA news conferences. "Problem with my voice."

Verstappen subsequently spoke about his behavior to media in the paddock.

"I find it ridiculous what happened, so why should I then give full answers? Because it's very easily, apparently, that you get a fine or you get some sort of penalty," he said.

"So I prefer then not to speak a lot, save my voice and we can do the interviews also somewhere else."

McLaren's Lando Norris, who qualified on pole and was seated alongside Verstappen, initially joked that the champion deserved the punishment but then supported his mate.

"I think it's pretty unfair. I don't agree with any of it," he said.

Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, concurred, saying, "I think it's a bit of a joke, to be honest. This is the pinnacle of the sport. Mistakes are made. I certainly wouldn’t be doing it (community service), and I hope Max doesn't do it," he added.

Verstappen told Sky Sports television that his transgression was "a slip of the tongue moment" and that he did not blame the officials.

"I actually had a great chat with them about it. They are very understanding but it’s in the rules and they have to apply something. But for me, it’s not the right way to go forward in our sport," he said.

Since Emirati Mohammed Ben Sulayem took over as president of the FIA at the end of 2021, the organisation has clamped down on foul language.

Ben Sulayem this week compared the drivers to rappers, infuriating Hamilton, the sport's lone Black driver, who criticised what he saw as a racial element.

SportsLigue