The penalty for a swear word really annoys Max Verstappen. He makes this clear time and again around the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Singapore. Now he's even asking himself: How much longer?
23.09.2024, 11:00
23.09.2024, 14:32
dpa
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- Max Verstappen has to concede victory at the Singapore GP to Lando Norris.
- The Dutchman is very upset. But not because of the missed victory, but because of a penalty for a swear word.
- Verstappen even expresses doubts about his future and says: "For me, this is no way to continue in the sport, that's for sure."
The punishment for foul language makes world champion Max Verstappen wonder about his Formula 1 future. "These kinds of things definitely decide my future," said the Red Bull star from the Netherlands after the Singapore Grand Prix.
He continued: "When you can't be yourself, you have to deal with stupid things like that." However, he is at a stage in his career where he doesn't want to deal with this kind of thing all the time. "It's really exhausting."
Verstappen was asked about his car, in which he had previously only finished fifth in Baku after numerous problems, at the official press conference of the motorsport world association on Thursday. "As soon as I went into qualifying, I knew the car was fucked," replied the 26-year-old. Verstappen was subsequently summoned by the race stewards and punished with doing community service.
Verstappen's response is tight-lipped
The world championship leader later described this as "ridiculous". In protest, he responded to questions at the official press conference after qualifying on Saturday and also after the race on Sunday only briefly.
"Of course it's great to have success and win races, but when you've achieved all that, when you've won championships and races, then you just want to have a good time," said Verstappen, whose contract with Red Bull is still valid until the end of 2028. "For me, this is no way to continue in the sport, that's for sure."
Verstappen finds the whole thing "very silly"
Formula 1 will continue without him, "I have no doubt about that," Verstappen continued. He also doesn't want to waste any more energy on the debate, "because it's just very silly".
Verstappen has lost further points in the championship standings following his second place in Singapore. However, his lead over McLaren driver Lando Norris is a whopping 52 points with six Grand Prix remaining, including three sprint races. Should Verstappen finish second behind a possible permanent winner Norris by the end of the year, he would still be world champion again after the season finale in Abu Dhabi.