Max Verstappen issues F1 future warning over swearing punishment

Max Verstappen has issued a warning that his “silly” punishment for swearing could lead him to reconsider his F1 future.

The Red Bull driver has been ordered to “accomplish some work of public interest” as a penalty for using an expletive while describing his car’s  recent performance during Thursday’s official FIA pre-event press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Verstappen subsequently staged a protest in the press conferences following qualifying on Saturday and Sunday’s race in which he limited his answers to journalists in the room, before holding a separate media session in the paddock.

The 26-year-old Dutchman admitted the punishment has tested his patience and could speed up his exit from F1.

"I mean, these kind of things definitely decide my future as well,” Verstappen replied when asked if may reconsider his future as a result of the saga.

”If you can't be yourself or you have to deal with these kinds of silly things. I'm now at the stage of my career that you 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've 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 paddock, even at the back of the grid. But if you have to deal with all these kinds of silly things, for me that is not a way of continuing in this sport, that's for sure.”

The exact length of Verstappen’s F1 career remains an uncertain topic, despite being under contract with Red Bull until the end of 2028. 

The three-time world champion has suggested on several occasions that he could walk away from the sport earlier if he so wishes.

"I will always be myself. I will not, because of that, change how I am in my life, anyway, but also how I'm operating here," he added.

“At the end of the day, I don't know how serious they [the FIA] will take that kind of stuff. But for me at one point when it's enough, it's enough. And we'll see. Everything will go on, I have no doubt.

"It's not a problem because Formula 1 will go on without me, but it's also not a problem for me. So it's how it is.

"At the moment I'm not even thinking about that ruling. I'm just focused on the performance, what we are going to do for Austin and beyond.

"That's what I'm thinking about, and for me, I shouldn't waste any energy on it actually because it's just very silly."