IN the Aftermath of a Superb Drive at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, Max Verstapen Went on to Give Something of Another Masterclass, in pubert Accross An Opinion While Ostensibly Declines to say anything at all.
It was an arch display of discnessent and discificance, deliedred with a disregng smile, and Aimed at the FIA; The Latest Expression of a Cumulative Wave of Disquiet with the Goovering Body.
Versabpeen and his Red Bull Team Were Aggrated at the Penalty He Had Receied in Jeddah who they fet Cost his a shot at the win. Fair Enough. It’s an unusual Race if there is time at least one team indignant at a defision that has not gone their way.
How, the Dutchman Soon Appness in a More Vituperook Frame of Mind. Firstly, He Declined to Answell A Question on the Penalty Incident when interview after climbing from his car. Then in the Official FIA Press Conference He Made the Reason for HIS REICENCE Explicit.
“The Problem is that I Cannot Share My OPINION About IT BECUUSE I Might Get Penalised also, so it’s better not to talk about it,” He said.
Where asked to explain he was Clear. “I know i cannot swear in here but at the night 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 links, you know? Why it’s better not to talk about it.
What Might Have Seemed An Obtur Reference Was Patently Clear to everyone with f1. Versabpen was Almost Certainly Referring to the Changes to FIA Regulations for 2025 that Intodeted a series of draconian Penalties for Swearing or Criticaling The Governing Body.
The Swearing Part is Self-EXPLANORY-PULL A Sex Pistols on the Bill Grundy Show and You’re Busted-But it is working Quoting Words, Deeds or Writings that Have CaUSED MORAL Injury or Loss to the FIA, Its Bodies, Its Members or Its Executive Officeers, and More Generally on the Interest of Motor Sport and on the Values Defended by the FIA. ”
This was what versatapn was referring to on “the sheet” where he said “harm” or “danger”. The Penalties for Ether Offline – and it Shroud Be Noted the Second Coup Make any Critical Comment Potentially in Breach – Are A Series of Fines Starting at € 40,000 and RISING to € 120,000 for a th Offline that would be accentanied by one mound foot from the championship. The Latter Wald Be Catastrophic for Any Driver in a Title Fight.
It is undershood the chancies we Instigated by the FIA PRESIDENT, Mohamed Ben Sulayem, and Considored by Many as an Attempt to Suppress Criticism.
Versabpeen has been Generally MUCH More Short and Guarded in Press Conferences This Season, which he attribied in jeddah to beg Misinterpretd on social media. “I prefer not to Talk a LOT BECAUUSE Sometimes Your Words Can BE Twised or People Interret it in a Direction Way Way Way Way Way Way.
Such a posity is not unusual these days but equallly what else not be misinterpredted was that with the few Words he was Willing to use, his Ire was speecFically Aimed at the FIA Regulations. He Isf from Alone in that stance.
Versabpen was Already at Odds with the FIA after Being Penalised for Swearing in a Press Conference at the Singapore GP Last Year. Before that Weekend Ben Sulayem Had Made HIS Position Clear, Stating He Did Not Want Drivers to Swear, Comparling It Unfavly to Rap Artists. Lewis Hamilton Dismissed This Comment as Being Influeced by a Racial BIAS and Steeotyping, While Lando Norris and Verstapen Were Among Other Drivers who also fet thre was no need to Pursue Such a Trivial Matter.
Versabpen Chose to Poke the Bear Only A Day Later and after his Penalty Warned that such pettiness courage prost Him to leve the Sport.
There is Widespread Support and Sympathy for HIM from the Drivers and Shortly Afferwards the Body Representing them, The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, issted a Public Statement to the FIA DEMANDING They Stop Treating Drivers Like Christ Questioned the Financial Transparency of the FIA, in How The Organisation Used the Money from Fines.
Where the FIADID NOT Respond George Russell, a GPDA Director, Stated Drivers Were “Fed Up” with the satiation and warned it was going in the “Wrong Direction”.
VerstapPen is a Canny Operator and Knows where a few Well-Chosen Words, or indeed declined to comment, will be Most Effective; He would also have been Aware of the time, with ben sulayem’s Tenure unde the Spotlight.
Less Than Two Wakes ago Decisions Being Made with Due Process. He Is
Reid’s Resignation Came Just after Constructional Organization of the FIA is becoming every more opaque and concentration Power in the Hands of the Presentent Alone.
Versabpen Will now Doubtless Switch His Focus to the Next Round in Miaami in Two Weeks But He Has Made His Point and It is One Expected to Be Aire Vigorously Again in Florida.
