Max Verstappen says a lot by saying so little after a verbal abuse

MAX Verstappen has always made it clear that he won’t be racing forever, no matter how much he loves racing and winning in Formula 1.

Given that he is the youngest starter and race winner in the sport’s history and one of its most prolific winners, the victories and championships of Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher would certainly have been within Verstappen’s reach given a long career.

But the 26-year-old Dutchman has never cared about records. He also didn’t mind the sometimes all-encompassing nature of Formula 1 with an ever-expanding calendar.

As he made clear in August at Zandvoort, where he made his 200th Formula 1 start, he is closer to the end of his Formula 1 career than to the beginning – even at such a young age. The thought of what life after Formula 1 might look like, even with one of the most lucrative contracts in Formula 1 running until 2028, is very present in Verstappen’s worldview.

The events at last weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix may have only accelerated this mindset for Verstappen. On the track, it was his best race in almost a month. Second place behind his title rival Lando Norris was a strong result considering how bleak the outlook was at one point in the race weekend.

But off the track, it was the reaction of F1’s governing body – the International Automobile Federation (FIA) – to Verstappen’s comments that caused frustration for the three-time world champion.

His use of a swear word in a press conference while talking about his car – an inanimate object with no feelings – was deemed “misconduct” by the FIA. It was a move that was apparently aimed at making an example of Verstappen, who will now have to do community service.

He responded by protesting at the FIA ​​press conference after the qualifying round, deliberately giving short answers because he feared he could be fined or have the penalty extended for another day. Instead, he spoke to reporters outside the room and called the decision “ridiculous.”

The protest subsided somewhat on Sunday (September 22nd). His answers were longer, although still short. When Verstappen was asked if he would still prefer to speak outside the press conference, he replied: “It’s been a long day. Yes.”

At this point, Red Bull had already scheduled Verstappen for a separate media briefing in the team’s hospitality department immediately after the press conference. There, Verstappen’s behavior changed and he returned to his usual exuberant and opinionated self.

“Personally, I don’t feel like giving long answers when you’re being treated like that,” he said.

He posted about the verdict in the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association WhatsApp group with all the other F1 drivers, saying: “Everyone almost laughed, you know, like, ‘What the hell is that?’ Basically. So, yes. It’s very, very silly.”

But Verstappen also thought about the bigger picture. If Formula 1 continues to follow this path, where drivers cannot be their authentic selves, it will impact how long he wants to stay on the grid.

“Certainly things like this will decide my future,” he said. “You know when you can’t be yourself or have to deal with stupid things like that. I think now that I’m at that stage in my career, I don’t want to deal with it all the time. It’s really tiring.”

He knows what it’s like to win races and championships. And he wants to enjoy his racing time. “But if you have to deal with all these stupid things, that’s certainly not a way for me to continue in this sport,” he said.

He also criticized the sanction imposed on Carlos Sainz for crossing the track on foot under a red flag to return to the pit lane after his qualifying accident on September 21.

“I mean, what are we talking about? “That’s a warning signal,” said Verstappen. “Cars come in. I think it’s pretty safe and he knows what he’s doing. We are not stupid. Things like that, like when I saw it being acknowledged, I thought, ‘My God’.”

These penalties destroy Verstappen’s love for Formula 1. No, there is no need to swear. But everyone in the paddock is adults and for many athletes, English is not their native language.

Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff also pointed out that a press conference was not intended to be widely shared as it was primarily intended for the media. It seemed harsh to attack the world champion so harshly because of a single careless word.

The hustle and bustle meant that any swearing in the paddock became a source of humor over the weekend. When a journalist used a swear word when asking a question to Verstappen, the world champion made a shocked face and joked that people should be careful.

Verstappen was unsure how the matter would be resolved. He said he would not mind holding separate media sessions alongside the press conference and that any conversation must include the FIA ​​and its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, as well as Formula One management.

However, if the existing approach remains steadfast, it could contribute to the network losing not only one of its greatest talents, but also one of its most honest characters. At a time when Formula 1 continues to grow and wants to turn its drivers into gladiators, this seems like a step backwards.

“If you can’t really be yourself, it’s better not to talk,” said Verstappen. “Nobody wants that because then you become a robot, and that’s not how you should act in sports.” NYTIMES