Max Verstappen mocks FIA chiefs with pointed joke | Sports News

Max Verstappen took the highlight with his pole-clinching efficiency at Formula 1’s Japanese Grand Prix.

And he cleverly navigated an FIA positive during the post-qualifying press convention by skillfully dodging a journalist’s query and jokingly taking a jab on the FIA’s new language guidelines.

With expectations of competing in opposition to George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc behind the McLaren pair, Verstappen executed a good lap in Q3, snagging the pole from Lando Norris. When quizzed about driving on the revered Suzuka Circuit, Verstappen responded: “If you want to drive the car, give it a go – I think you’re going to poop your pants.”

He then slyly glanced on the FIA media consultant and quipped: “Is that allowed to say in the press conference?”

Verstappen’s witty remarks come up amidst ongoing discussions within the F1 paddock relating to driver language. The FIA’s president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been desirous to curb profanity during press conferences, media interviews, and staff radio communications, an initiative that claimed Verstappen as its notable offender for an expletive comment made at a formal FIA press occasion in Singapore final season.

Suffering penalties for his selection of phrases, the champion confronted a group service sentence, which was duly fulfilled following the season-capping prize-giving ceremony in Rwanda. Consequently, the FIA has considerably intensified the severity of attainable sanctions.

The F1 world is buzzing with controversy as new rules earlier than the 2025 season might see drivers fined more than $120,000 for a number of offences, resulting in potential championship level losses and race suspensions.

No penalties have been issued in F1 but, though shockwaves have been despatched by the World Rally Championship when Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux was handed a £25,000 ($32,200) penalty for express language after a race – half of which was suspended.

Verstappen advised reporters forward of the new season: “Honestly, I don’t even need to say too much right, because I think if you just look at everyone’s reaction to it, I think that says enough. Of course, I understand that you cannot always swear wherever you go, right? I think we all understand that as racing drivers.

“But generally, within the heat of the second or if you get interviewed if you’re in your car, and you’ve got simply had an adrenaline rush or no matter, generally issues slip out a little bit. Plus, I feel all of us grew up, in all probability most people grew up in class, taking part in soccer or sports activities generally.

“It happens that you use a swear word, and I think we shouldn’t take it so serious, you know. Plus, I’m also not going to tell you how you should behave in life, I guess. That’s pretty much all I can say about it, but we have to deal with it at the moment – it has been written.”