Red Bull ace Max Verstappen is contemplating his Formula 1 future in response to the FIA punishing him for swearing during a press conference.
Verstappen was summoned by the FIA for his use of foul language during Thursday’s Singapore Grand Prix press conference.
The FIA ordered him to conduct a day of community service as punishment.
In response, Verstappen was tight-lipped in both the post-qualifying and post-race FIA press conference, instead conducting his own discussions with the media outside the governing body’s gaze.
“These kinds of things definitely decide my future,” Verstappen said on Sunday.
“When you can’t be yourself, you have to deal with these kinds of silly things.
“I’m at a stage of my career that I don’t want to be dealing with this all the time. It’s really tiring.
“Of course it’s great to have success and win races, but once you have accomplished all that, winning championships and races, then you want to just have a good time as well.
“Everyone is pushing to the limit. Everyone in this battle, even at the back of the grid.
“But if you have to deal with all these kind of silly things: for me, that is not a way of continuing in the sport, that’s for sure.”
READ MORE: Max Verstappen punished over Singapore F1 swearing incident
Max Verstappen happy to walk away from F1
The FIA has picked its battle with a reigning multiple world champion and drawn heavy criticism from Lewis Hamilton, statistically the greatest driver in the sport.
“I don’t know how serious they will take that kind of stuff,” Verstappen said.
Having reached the 200 Grands Prix milestone at his home race at Zandvoort, Verstappen made it clear that he won’t be going for another 200 starts.
The 26-year-old is under contract with Red Bull until 2028 and has often hinted that his most recent extension would be his last.
With this row with the FIA ongoing, Verstappen exclaimed that he’s more than comfortable walking away from the sport.
“When it’s enough, it’s enough,” he said.
“We’ll see, everything will go on in Formula 1 without me, it’s not a problem, but it’s also not a problem for me. So it’s how it is.”
FIA swearing clampdown preventing authenticity
Verstappen has often been comical, talkative and engaging in press conferences throughout the year.
At Miami, he orchestrated the press conference to shine a light on Lando Norris’ maiden victory, dispelling what-if scenarios around his own race with the line “if my mum had balls, she’d be my dad.”
The Dutchman has never been afraid to be candid, speak his mind and often he is more entertaining for it, which is why this latest development is made all the more troubling for him.
“If you can’t really be yourself, like, to the fullest, then it’s better not to speak at the end of the day,” the Red Bull driver explained.
“But that’s what no one wants, because then you become a robot, and that’s not how you should be going about it in the sport.
“It’s all a bit too soft really, and honestly it’s super silly what we’re dealing with”.
The extended Autumn break gives Verstappen and the FIA a chance to come to terms with one another.
Failing that, the Dutchman vowed to continue holding his own press conference with the media moving forward.
However, it’s not just his own penalty that Verstappen has taken issue with, calling Carlos Sainz’s €25000 fine for crossing a live track after his crash in Singapore GP qualifying super silly.
Verstappen noted, “I think it’s quite safe and [Sainz] knows what he’s doing.
“We’re not stupid. Again, these kind of things. Like when I saw it, you know, even like getting noted, I’m like, ‘my god, what are we doing?'”
READ MORE: Max Verstappen takes hard stance against FIA swearing ruling
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