Verstappen will now remain a quiet F1 driver

Apr.22 (GMM) Max Verstappen admits reporters and Formula 1 fans will need to get used to hearing from him less often.

Following his highly-controversial 2024 penalty for swearing in a press conference, and amid a wider FIA clampdown against bad driver behaviour, the quadruple world champion has already been speaking to the media more tersely.

But it reached a new crescendo at Jeddah, when he point-blank refused to reveal – in any forum – his thoughts on his 5-second penalty for the first-corner incident beyond saying “That’s bloody lovely” on the radio.

“I know I cannot swear in here,” he said at the post-race FIA press conference, “but at the same time, you also can’t be critical in any form that might ‘harm’ or ‘danger’. Let me get the sheet out – there’s a lot of lines.”

But putting the Saudi Arabian GP penalty aside, Verstappen also admits that he simply doesn’t feel like talking to the media very much anymore.

“I’ve been in the sport for so long, and at some point you know everyone,” he told Viaplay. “The less you say, the better it is. I just don’t feel like talking to people that much.”

The Viaplay reporter, Chiel van Koldenhoven, expressed concern that the 27-year-old might be tiring of Formula 1 altogether. “You shouldn’t be so concerned with that, to be honest,” Verstappen responded.

“You know, I’m in a phase where I’m not really interested in what other people write or think. I do my thing and live my life. I come to the circuit and know that I’m doing my best when I get in the car. I work with the people in the factory, and then I go back home. That’s when I live my life outside of Formula 1.

“Of course I want to be fast and I want to do my best, but even if it doesn’t work out, that’s just the way it is,” the 27-year-old explained. “I still enjoy racing, but it’s not like if things go badly here, I will take it home with me.”

Former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde, who knows the Verstappen family well, actually thinks Verstappen’s reaction to the Jeddah penalty was a sign of maturity.

“Before, he would really go crazy and give his opinion right away,” he said. “Now, he just said ‘lovely’ and focused on the race again.”

Also true is that Verstappen’s interests have expanded far beyond Formula 1 – including not only the Redline sim racing team, but even his very own GT team called Verstappen.com Racing.

The outfit made its debut just a few days ago at Paul Ricard, in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup. Viaplay asked Verstappen if he can imagine the team competing in major races, like the Nurburgring 24 hours.

“Absolutely, but step by step. I don’t want to rush it,” the Dutchman replied.

“Those are some serious circuits, and you need serious preparation for that,” Verstappen added. “These shorter races – so three, four, six hours – are how to get more experience with the car.

“Step by step we want to participate in all those races.”

He admits that he includes the Le Mans 24 hours among his team’s ambitions.

“That would be ideal,” said Verstappen, but he says his Formula 1 career will currently prevent him from actually tackling Le Mans himself – for now.

“If it doesn’t clash with a Formula 1 race, then it could be combined, but on the other hand, I will not do it for another ten years,” he said. “By then I will have more time for other things.”

Skipping a grand prix to do Le Mans, Verstappen insists, is out of the question.

“With what I do here now and the way I do it, I cannot do that,” he said. “Absolutely not.”

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