Max Verstappen continued to avoid being drawn to comment on his Saudi Arabian GP penalty, picked up in battle with Oscar Piastri.

Wanting to avoid saying anything that “might get me in trouble”, Verstappen also claimed that “people can’t handle the full truth” when he expresses an opinion, so snubbing the chance to share his true feelings on the penalty was the best way.

Max Verstappen penalty: FIA rules and social media trigger snub?

With polesitter Verstappen and Piastri battling for the apex and lead into Turn 1 at the start of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen would take to the run-off and return to the track P1. Verstappen felt he had been forced off, while Piastri said Verstappen had no intention of making the first corner.

The FIA stewards would ultimately decide to penalise Verstappen for the incident, giving him a five-second time penalty, one which he served at his sole pit stop.

He would cross the line just under three seconds behind Saudi Arabian Grand Prix winner Piastri, who became the new leader of the Drivers’ Championship.

And speaking during the post-race press conference, Verstappen was keeping his answers short and vague when quizzed on the FIA verdict, having just cut his immediate post-race interview with David Coulthard short.

“It happened very fast,” he said.

“I think it’s better not to talk about it. Anything I say or try to say about it might get me in trouble.”

Put to him that his answers to media questions have generally been shorter lately, Verstappen was asked if the enjoyment had been sucked out of Formula 1 for him.

He replied: “No. It has to do with social media in general, and how the world is.

“I prefer not to talk a lot because sometimes your words can be twisted or people interpret it in a different way. It’s honestly better not to say too much. So that’s what I’m trying to do.

“Like I said before, it’s just the world we live in. You can’t share your opinion because it’s not appreciated apparently, or people can’t handle the full truth.

“Honestly, it’s better if I don’t say too much.

“It also saves my time because we already have to do so much. It’s honestly just how everything is becoming. Everyone is super sensitive about everything. And what we have currently, we cannot be critical anyway. So less talking – even better for me.”

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At this point, Verstappen was asked where this ‘ire’ was being directed, such as towards the FIA swearing clampdown.

Verstappen became the first victim of that after swearing in an FIA press conference ahead of last season’s Singapore Grand Prix, tasked with effectively community service in the form of grassroots motorsport work in Rwanda, while the FIA has since put fines and bans in place as potential punishments for misconduct offences.

“I know I cannot swear in here, but at the same 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 lines, you know?” Verstappen responded.

“So that’s why it’s better not to talk about it – you can put yourself in trouble, and I don’t think anyone wants that.”

Article 12.2.1.f of the FIA International Sporting Code forbids ‘any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motor sport and on the values defended by the FIA’.

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