F1
Still annoyed by the sanction imposed by the FIA, Verstappen suggests that he could leave F1 earlier than expected
© Xavi Bonilla / DPPI
In Singapore, the weekend's entertainment took place in the paddock rather than on the track. The main entertainer? Max VerstappenThe Dutchman, second in the Singapore Grand Prix, was more visible in front of the media than behind the wheel of his car. carThe Verstappen "show" began on Friday: after using the word "fuck" in a press conference the day before, to talk about the behavior of his single-seater in Baku, the triple world champion was penalized by the FIA with community service. A sanction as an example, following Mohammed Ben Sulayem's desire to reduce insults in the mouths of the pilots of F1.
In response to this sanction, the pilot Red Bull simply decided… to remain taciturn when asked questions during the official press conferences organised by the FIA, offering only short and concise answers. In return, the Dutchman offered journalists to organise his own press conference in the paddock, to give more complete answers. Bis repetita Sunday after the Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen did not elaborate further on his post-race reactions.
"F1 will continue without me too" Verstappen says
Once the official protocol was over, Max Verstappen obviously returned to this almost "tragi-comic" episode between him and the FIA. If we already know that he has no ambition to stay in Formula 1 beyond his current contract, which runs until 2028, the Dutchman suggested that he could even hasten his departure from the discipline if the FIA and F1 continue in this direction in terms of freedom of expression.
“Things like that really dictate my future, when you can't be yourself or you have to deal with these stupid things., says the Red Bull driver. I think I'm at a point in my career where I don't want to be dealing with this stuff all the time. (…) It's really tiring. Of course it's great to be successful and win races, but once you've achieved all that, winning championships and races, then you just want to have a good time as well. If you have to deal with all this stupid stuff, for me it doesn't make you want to continue in the sport, that's for sure."
Faced with the threat of the departure of one of Formula 1's stars, could the FIA back down and relax its rules? Max Verstappen doubts it. The Dutchman believes that the governing body will not budge, even if one of its world champions were to walk away from the sport because of it.
“At some point, when it’s too much, it’s too much. We’ll see. As I said, motorsport will continue. F1 will continue without me too. It’s not a problem [for them], but it’s not a problem for me either., says Max Verstappen. If you can't really be yourself then it's better not to talk. That's what nobody wants because then you become a robot and that's not the way to do it in sport."
Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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D'ASSUNCAO JEAN BERNARDARD
30/09/2024 at 11:05 a.m.
If I had the opportunity to talk to MAX VERSTAPPEN I would tell him not to take seriously the observations of a MOHAMED BEN SULAYEM, this character being incapable of imagining what this F1 driver endures to achieve the results he has obtained since the age of 17!!!!!!!!
Yves Berthaud
23/09/2024 at 09:53 a.m.
A spoiled child, even a gifted one, does not accept reprimands or defeats. A champion respects others and knows how to behave with elegance.
vincent moyet
23/09/2024 at 12:14 a.m.
He's right about the substance. Nobody wants a sport of well-meaning and sanitized robots. But at the same time he continues to show his "spoiled brat" side by multiplying threats that he won't keep, and he becomes ridiculous. He is surely one of the most gifted pilots in History, but not the most endearing far from it.
Yves-Henri RANDIER
23/09/2024 at 04:58 a.m.
"A naughty side" which certainly doesn't make him endearing but which, the day he gets fed up, will make him slam the door! He is safe for the rest of his days and his dark father-in-law Nelson Piquet must very likely encourage him to enjoy life, a message that the Dutchman himself sent this weekend to Daniel Ricciardo
DANIEL MEYERS
23/09/2024 at 11:31 a.m.
He is completely right, now, if I stick to his character, his way of being, his relationship with other drivers when they become direct opponents: Good riddance! As for the "president of the FIA who did not grow up in a democratic country" (Thanks Yves-Henri for this perfect description) by all means he works and will work to impose his retrograde laws.
Yves-Henri RANDIER
23/09/2024 at 11:18 a.m.
Whether we like the character or not, Max Verstappen has the enormous advantage of not using wooden language unlike other drivers who have become "formatted". Furthermore, he is quite capable of doing what he says he will and slamming the door on a sports business that is becoming more and more sanitized and adept at very political correctness under the leadership of an FIA president who did not grow up in a democratic country... How far away it is from the era without radio and that of Hunt, Lauda, Villeneuve, Raikkonen and their ilk!