Max Verstappen’s tight-lipped protest challenges Sulayem at Singapore GP

Max Verstappen is never one to back down from a fight and the Dutchman duly squared up to the FIA with a barbed and very public protest by all but refusing to answer questions in the press conference after qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix.

The world champion’s displeasure at the Formula One’s governing body and its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, over a punishment meted out on Friday for swearing was unmistakable at the Marina Bay circuit and he was supported by pole-sitter Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, who finished third in qualifying.

Before the race weekend Ben Sulayem said he wanted drivers to curtail their use of foul language, a demand met with widespread disdain when Verstappen described his car as “fucked”. The FIA punished the 26-year-old with F1’s equivalent of a day’s community service.

Verstappen wasted no time in issuing his riposte. At the FIA press conference for the top three drivers, which they are required to attend, he answered only the opening question stating he was happy with qualifying and thanking his Red Bull team, before resorting to all but monosyllabic answers.

When asked to elaborate, he made the reason for his discontent clear. “No,” he said. “I might get fined, get an extra day.” That he was making a point aimed specifically at the FIA was clear when he apologised to Tom Clarkson, the press conference moderator. ‘This is not towards you,” he said.

He then told the attendant media he would happily answer them away from an FIA setting. “I would prefer if you ask these questions outside of the room,” he said and duly did so.

Norris and Hamilton had been critical of Ben Sulayem’s comments and sympathised with Verstappen, with Hamilton saying he would refuse to accept the community service. “It’s a bit of a joke,” he said. “This is the pinnacle of the sport, mistakes are made. I certainly wouldn’t be doing it and I hope Max doesn’t do it.”

Norris initially joked, saying Verstappen deserved it but did side with him. “It’s pretty unfair, I don’t agree with any of it,” he said.

As FIA conferences go, the sheer awkwardness alone will have gone down poorly with the governing body. Verstappen, however, seemed to be enjoying it. By the end he was twisting the knife. “I am answering, just not a lot, problem with my voice,” he said.

Point made, he spoke to the media and when asked if his protest was because he thought the leadership of the FIA was inadequate, he was blunt. “It’s just ridiculous to get a penalty for that,” he said. “When you insult someone, that’s pretty clear. I didn’t aim it at a person, it was a bit of a slip of the tongue. It’s not the right way to go forward in our sport.”

The FIA has yet to make any comment on Verstappen’s behaviour or comments. That this was a point Verstappen wanted to make was more evident by the fact that in a sporting sense he had enjoyed an unexpectedly good qualifying. Norris deserved pole with a fine lap, two-tenths up on the world champion, but for Verstappen second was a huge result at a circuit where Red Bull expected to struggle and potentially drop a hatful of points to the McLaren driver.

Instead Verstappen wrestled the maximum from his car and in claiming second has a slim shot at a win in the only race on the calendar in which he has yet to take victory. More importantly, he may be able to minimise how much Norris eats into his 59-point lead in the world championship. The title rivals line up alongside one another then in what should be a fascinating fight under the floodlights of Marina Bay and one with no little potential for further expletives. George Russell was in fourth for Mercedes and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in fifth.

Nico Hülkenberg was sixth for Haas, Fernando Alonso seventh for Aston Martin, Yuki Tsunoda eighth for RB, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was ninth after having his lap time deleted and his teammate Carlos Sainz was 10th after crashing out in Q3.

Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto were in 11th and 12th for Williams, Sergio Pérez 13th for Red Bull, Kevin Magnussen 14th for Haas and Esteban Ocon 15th for Alpine.

Daniel Ricciardo was 16th for RB, Lance Stroll 17th for Aston Martin, Pierre Gasly 18th for Alpine, with Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou 19th and 20th for Sauber.