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Max Verstappen has confirmed he will maintain his stance of giving minimal answers in official Formula 1 news conferences at this weekend’s US Grand Prix. This follows his recent punishment by the FIA for swearing in a news conference, prompting the Red Bull driver to limit his responses during media sessions.
Speaking in Austin, Verstappen said he had not received any further communication from the FIA and would continue to keep his answers brief: “I haven’t heard anything, so for me it doesn’t change anything. I prefer of course to talk less, so it’s fine anyway for me.”
Verstappen introduced this policy at the Singapore Grand Prix, where he complied with the requirement to respond but kept his answers as short as possible. He has since been more open in informal settings, engaging with reporters more extensively outside of the FIA press conferences.
When asked how the media would receive “proper” answers from him, Verstappen replied, “This table works well,” referring to his preference for speaking outside formal press events.
The Dutchman described the dispute over his language as “silly,” downplaying the severity of the situation: “Of course I know you can’t generally swear, but it’s more about when you insult someone. They want you to set an example. Yeah, sure. I don’t think they should make such a big deal about it.”
Other drivers, including Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, have weighed in on the issue. Hamilton labeled the situation in Singapore as “not a good look,” while Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, hinted that the drivers are planning a collective statement to address the matter. Russell emphasized the need to balance drivers’ emotions during races with maintaining appropriate language in public settings.
