Max Verstappen has remarked that he would choose to put Formula 1‘s racing guidelines into a shredder if he had the chance.
The Dutchman’s comments come as the debate around driving rules flares up again after Oscar Piastri’s penalty in Brazil.
Carlos Sainz labelled that call “unacceptable” and confirmed drivers will revisit the topic during the Qatar Grand Prix weekend.
F1’s overtaking guidelines outline what a driver must do when attacking on the inside or around the outside.
They serve as a reference for stewards, but they carry no binding force, leaving room for interpretation – and frustration.
Verstappen faced questions about the guidelines ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. He initially tried to steer clear of the subject.
“It’s better if I say nothing,” Verstappen said.
“If I have something to say about it, I should do that directly with the stewards or the FIA. If you talk too much about things in public, you can get a penalty for that as well.”
He admitted he stays cautious when speaking to the media.
“Of course. I’m the only one who has been penalised for using a swear word, so I have to be very careful with what I say. Then I think, ‘I’d better say nothing at all’. It is like that, unfortunately.”
Despite that restraint, his stance on the rules is no mystery.
“I don’t always like the rules we have, but I simply follow them as they’re written,” he acknowledged.
Verstappen adamant F1 rules have become too complex
He was then asked whether modern F1 has become too complex, given the number of regulations drivers must keep in mind.
“You could say that, yes,” he agreed. “The problem is that the more rules you create, the harder you make it for yourself.
“In the end, that’s not even about the stewards, because they just follow the rulebook. You see something with your own eyes, you form an opinion, but when you look at the rules, it might be different again. So, what do you apply? The stewards are in a difficult position.”
He recalled his own experience working with Formula E stewards while serving his community service penalty in Marrakesh.
“The stewards were super nice, but in the end, they’re bound to that rule book. It sometimes makes it really difficult to make the right decision.”
Those same guidelines will be on the table in Qatar, though Verstappen expects others to lead the charge.
“I think Carlos and George [Russell] already have everything prepared for that one, so I’ll just sit back and relax,” he joked.
Asked how he would rewrite the guidelines, Verstappen mimed sliding papers into a shredder.
“I’d just…” he said, making the gesture.
But he has no interest in shaping the regulations himself.
“No, you definitely won’t see me in F1 as a steward!” he quipped.
READ MORE – Carlos Sainz’s solution to ‘unfortunate’ F1 Las Vegas GP issue
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