Initially, he didn’t want to comment on it, but Max Verstappen did briefly discuss the rules in Las Vegas. “The problem is: the more rules you create, the more difficult it becomes for the race directors themselves,” he said.
The Dutchman, in conversation with the national media in Las Vegas, stated that he has learned it’s better not to say too much about these kinds of issues, given his outspoken nature. “I was the only one who was penalized for using a swear word,” he noted. However, he was willing to briefly touch on the discussions that have arisen following the penalty Oscar Piastri received during the São Paulo Grand Prix.
Verstappen himself also sees increasingly complex regulations in Formula 1. According to the reigning world champion, the multitude of rules surrounding overtaking maneuvers and communication mean that drivers sometimes have to focus more on what they can’t do, rather than on the race itself. “I just follow them as they are, but it’s not always pleasant. Especially not with my style of racing.”
The fact that opinions on penalties are divided, such as those concerning Piastri, is a given. “Ultimately, it doesn’t even have to do with the stewards themselves, as they naturally also rely on the rulebook.”
