Verstappen to continue giving minimal answers

Max Verstappen says he will continue his stance of giving minimal answers in official Formula 1 news conferences at this weekend’s US Grand Prix.

The Red Bull driver instigated his policy at the last race in Singapore after he was punished by governing body the FIA for swearing in a news conference.

Verstappen said on media day in Austin, Texas: “I haven’t heard anything (from the FIA), so for me it doesn’t change anything.

“I prefer of course to talk less, so it’s fine anyway for me.”

In Singapore, Verstappen limited his answers as much as possible in the official FIA news conferences to ensure he complied with the requirement to respond.

He told reporters there that he was happy to answer questions more extensively outside the press conference room, and did so after both qualifying and the race.

On Thursday, speaking while surrounded by reporters at a table outside the Red Bull hospitality, he indicated that he would continue with this approach.

Asked whether he still did not want to speak in the FIA press conferences, he said: “I will speak.”

But when asked how the media would get “proper” answers from him, he said: “This table works well.”

The Dutchman described the dispute as “silly”.

And when asked whether he would talk to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem about the issue, Verstappen said: “I am always open for a chat. But from my side it is not that I am the one who has to reach out. I just live my life. I just continue, nothing changes.

“This particular scenario, yes, it’s very unnecessary. Of course I know you can’t generally swear but it’s more about when you insult someone.

“Then you hear comments, like: ‘Yeah but you don’t want kids seeing that.’ But when I was five years old, I never watched a press conference in my life anyway. And at school you hear way worse things than that. Because you grow up with kids and you’re a bit of a rebel, so you always say bad stuff. That’s just how life is.

“They want you to set an example. Yeah, sure. I don’t think they should make such a big deal about it.”

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton said the dispute in Singapore was “not a good look”.

And Hamilton’s team-mate George Russell, who is a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, said the F1 drivers were likely to make a collective statement on the issue next week.

“Between the drivers a lot have spoken regarding swearing,” Russell said.

“It does seem a little bit silly that it has come to this. We have yet to speak to the FIA but we hope to do so (at the next race) in Mexico. But collectively we’re all on the same page.

“Next week we will probably formally put something towards you guys to read from the drivers as a united whole.

“We don’t want to be taking away the heat of the moment emotions that drivers show during a race. It is down to maybe the broadcaster to choose whether they want to broadcast that.

“For the drivers, it is very challenging when you have a microphone, you’re talking with your team, you’re in the middle of battle.

“But if it’s an environment like this maybe we have a duty to be conscious of our words. Next week we have a letter or something to share with everyone.”