Verstappen, Hamilton Question FIA Penalty Rules

Max Verstappen, under fire for his language at a press conference, faced further scrutiny post-qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix. Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton critiqued the FIA's decision, suggesting the penalty for bad language was disproportionate and questioning its impact on the sport's integrity.

Max Verstappen snubbed Formula One's governing body at a Singapore Grand Prix press conference on Saturday, as Lewis Hamilton suggested the reigning champion should not serve a penalty 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 spoke to the crowd and broadcasters after qualifying second for Sunday's race but displayed a sudden reticence in the FIA press conference with the top three drivers. When asked what he had changed overnight with the car, Verstappen responded simply 'a lot'.

Asked to elaborate, he added: 'No, I might get fined or get an extra day.' A follow-up on whether he was confident with the race pace elicited a 'maybe' reply. When questioned about the race being a step into the unknown, he responded, 'It's an unknown. Yeah.'

When asked about his race tactics, Verstappen said, 'I will find out tomorrow.' The triple world champion then told a reporter he would prefer for questions to be asked outside the room, giving a thumbs-up sign when asked as a follow-up if he would talk somewhere else.

A further question about the possibility of his behavior triggering another penalty, and possibly more community service, met a terse 'no comment'. 'I'm answering. Just not a lot,' Verstappen said in reply to a subsequent inquiry about how long he planned not to give answers in the FIA press conferences. 'Problem with my voice.'

Verstappen later explained his behavior to reporters in the paddock. 'I find it ridiculous what happened, so why should I then give full answers? Because it's very easy, apparently, to get a fine or 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 position and was sitting alongside Verstappen, initially joked that the champion deserved the punishment but then backed his friend.

'I think it's pretty unfair. I don't agree with any of it,' he said. Seven-time world champion Hamilton agreed, 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.

Speaking to Sky Sports Television, Verstappen said his transgression was 'a slip of the tongue moment' and he did not blame the stewards. '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.

The FIA has clamped down on bad language since Emirati Mohammed Ben Sulayem took charge at the end of 2021. Ben Sulayem this week compared drivers to rappers in comments that particularly riled Hamilton, the sport's only Black driver, who criticized what he saw as a racial element.

(With inputs from agencies.)