Max Verstappen fires ultimatum to FIA president as protest continues at United States GP | F1 | Sport
Max Verstappen has confirmed that he plans to continue his media protest during the United States Grand Prix, telling FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem that while he is willing to discuss the matter, the onus is on him to engage in talks.
Verstappen found himself in hot water with F1’s governing body in Singapore before the Autumn break after swearing during one of his answers to journalists in the FIA’s official media day press conference.
After a trip to the stewards, the three-time world champion was hit with a community service punishment. This verdict did not go down well with Verstappen, who responded by giving short answers or replying “no comment” in the post-qualifying press conference.
The Red Bull racer hasn’t forgotten his vendetta against the FIA either. Asked about his protest ahead of the United States GP this weekend, Verstappen confirmed that he plans to continue his brief replies in official press conferences until the matter is resolved.
“I have not heard anything [from the FIA], so for me, it doesn’t really change anything,” Verstappen explained on Thursday. “With the situation, I mean, I also have to talk less, so it is fine for me.
“At the end of the day, everyone has their own opinion, but it is quite clear that, like I said already it was silly stuff. I am always open for a chat [with Ben Sulayem], but from my side at the moment it is not that I am the one who has to reach out with this stuff. I just live my life and continue, nothing changes.”
Verstappen agreed that the situation had been blown out of proportion, although many drivers came out to support him when discussing their own thoughts about the FIA’s punishment in Singapore.
“Yeah, but that is in general the world in which we live in, right?” he continued. “A lot of stuff is like that. This particular scenario, I think it is very unnecessary. Of course, I know you can’t swear but that is more related to insults and then you see comments from people saying they don’t want kids seeing that.
“Well, when I was five years old, I never watched a press conference in my life anyway. At school, you say way worse things than that, that’s just how life is. If you want to set an example, yeah, sure, but I don’t think you should make a big deal of it. I just want to live my life, and if I don’t agree with something I will say it. That’s it.”
