A disgruntled Max Verstappen was repeatedly tight-lipped when asked to comment on his penalty at the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Dutchman lost ground at lights out from pole at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit on Sunday, allowing Oscar Piastri to nudge ahead into Turn 1.
A wheel-to-wheel confrontation saw Verstappen escape to the run-off and retain the lead, but the Stewards felt Piastri had the corner.
As a result, a five-second time penalty was issued, which the Stewards felt could have been 10 seconds had the incident occurred on a later lap.
The decision cost Verstappen victory, and he protested the outcome after the race, not with elaborate words, but concise, defensive responses.
“To be honest, I think any word towards that is just a waste of time for everyone,” Verstappen said in response to questioning from Sky Sports F1 post-race.
Verstappen’s numerous encounters and stewards’ inquiries due to clashes with Piastri’s team-mate Lando Norris last year prompted a forensic look at racing guidelines.
When asked if that had any bearing on the outcome in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Verstappen said, “We talked about it a lot and last year, this year, different kind of rules so that’s also not the problem, but honestly this is also not my problem.”
Adamant that he’d adhered to the current racing guidelines, Verstappen added, “Let’s get the paperwork and I’ll say live, whatever. I mean it’s all written down.”
Still, when asked if he’d appeal the stewards’ outcome, Verstappen had other things on his mind.
“No, no, it’s not in my interest,” he said.
“The only thing that is in my interest is now looking forward to going home.”
Verstappen keen to avoid sanction for speaking his mind
Verstappen’s tight-lipped approach continued in the post-race press conference, where he was confronted with further questioning by mediator Tom Clarkson, who asked to get the Dutchman’s verdict on the Lap 1 incident.
“Start happened, Turn 1 happened, and suddenly it was Lap 50,” Verstappen responded in front of select media, including Motorsport Week.
“It just all went super fast. So, yeah. The problem is that I cannot share my opinion about it because I might get penalised also. So it’s better not to speak about it.”
When pressed further to give his take on the wheel-to-wheel action with Piastri, Verstappen simply said “It happened very fast.”
Amid further questioning, Verstappen cut things short.
“I think it’s better not to talk about it. Anything I say or try to say about it, it might get me in trouble.”
Verstappen has been punished in press conferences in the past, suffering the consequences of swearing in Singapore.
He’s often been tight-lipped ever since, especially when it comes to matters such as stewarding.
His act of defiance shows actions, speak far louder than words, and it doesn’t takea genius to guess how Verstappen felt following the Saudi Arabian GP.
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