Verstappen's Silence After Receiving Punishment Sparks Anger

F1 sensation Max Verstappen made a conscious effort to restrict his words on Saturday, seemingly unhappy with the consequences he faced for using profanity earlier.

Verstappen secured second place in Saturday's qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix, meaning he had to attend the FIA's official post-qualifying press conference alongside pole sitter Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton, who finished third.

However, journalists hoping for detailed responses were left disappointed.

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When asked to elaborate on a brief answer, he declined, as seen in a transcript published by ESPN.

"I might receive a fine or an additional day. So."

Verstappen clarified that he was not upset with the media and would speak freely outside of the official conference room.

But it was evident that he was bothered by the punishment he received on Friday for using a profanity during the FIA's press conference on Thursday, where he described his car's setup at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as "f--ed."

The FIA, the governing body of F1, ordered him to perform work in the "public interest" after reviewing an audio recording and determining that his use of the word was offensive and violated FIA policies.

The specific public-interest work he must complete was not specified.

A representative from the FIA prevented Verstappen from speaking to reporters directly outside the official conference room. However, as he walked down the stairs towards the television broadcasters' area, the Red Bull driver opened up about his thoughts on the punishment.

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"I find it absolutely ridiculous what happened," he stated, according to ESPN.

"So why should I give detailed answers when it's so easy to receive a fine or some sort of penalty?"

"I'd rather not speak much, save my voice, and we can do interviews elsewhere as well."

The 26-year-old Dutch driver believes he is being used as an example.

"They want to set a precedent," Verstappen expressed, as reported by ESPN. "In the past, people received warnings or small fines, but now they want to make an even bigger example out of me, which is strange because I didn't swear at anyone in particular. I simply made a comment about my car."

"It's in the code, you know? They have to follow the rules and it's not the stewards' fault. I don't want to blame them because I had a good conversation with them and they have to follow the code. I think they understand, but it's also difficult for them."

When asked, both Norris and Hamilton disagreed with Verstappen's punishment.

"I think it's a bit of a joke, to be honest," Hamilton expressed. "This is the pinnacle of the sport. Mistakes happen. I certainly wouldn't be doing the community service and I hope Max doesn't have to do it either."