'I cannot share my opinion': Max Verstappen stays tight-lipped on race-deciding penalty
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, left, steers his car followed by McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car followed by McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, front, steers his car followed by McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Second placed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gestures on the podium during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Second placed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gestures on the podium during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, left, steers his car followed by McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands steers his car followed by McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands, front, steers his car followed by McLaren driver Oscar Piastri of Australia during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
Second placed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gestures on the podium during the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Max Verstappen refused to discuss a time penalty which dropped him out of the lead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, saying after Sunday's race that he fears being punished for any criticism.
Verstappen started on pole position and went off the track at the first corner under pressure from McLaren's Oscar Piastri. He kept the lead but received a five-second penalty for gaining an advantage by going off-track. That helped Piastri take his third Formula 1 win this season.
Advertisement
Verstappen told his Red Bull team over the radio during the race that he felt Piastri had forced him off the track. The four-time champion repeatedly refused to go into any more detail in a televised interview and a later news conference.
'The start happened, turn one happened and suddenly it was lap 50 (the last lap). It just all went super fast,' Verstappen said in response to one question. 'The problem is that I cannot share my opinion about it because I might get penalized also, you know, so it's better not to speak about it.'
Verstappen indicated he was keeping quiet both because of potential 'trouble' with the governing body and because 'sometimes your words can be twisted.'
'I think it's just the world we live in," he added. "You can't share fully your opinion because it's not appreciated, apparently, or people can't handle the full truth.'
Advertisement
It's not the first time Verstappen has refused to discuss racing issues. Last year he kept his answers to a minimum at the Singapore Grand Prix after a punishment for swearing from the governing body, the FIA.
Since then, the FIA has tightened its rules on misconduct to allow for large fines or even suspensions for drivers. The focus has largely been on punishments for swearing but the rules also cover comments which could cause 'moral injury or loss' to the FIA or its executives.
Verstappen signaled that was his concern Sunday.
'I know that I cannot swear in here but at the same time, you can also not be critical or any kind of form that might harm or danger, or... Let me get the sheet out, there's a lot of lines," he said. 'That's why it's better not to talk about it because you can put yourself in trouble.'
Advertisement
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner called Sunday's penalty 'a very harsh decision'
Despite the frustration over the penalty, Verstappen's second place was a strong recovery from a troubled run to sixth in Bahrain last week. Red Bull's lack of pace in that race prompted speculation Verstappen could even seek to leave the team if it can't provide a car capable of fighting for the title.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
23 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Small sport stirs up controversy in Spain as Basque Country makes its international debut
MADRID (AP) — A small sport popular in Spain's northern Basque Country has stirred up a political controversy that triggered court action and fanned the region's long-held feelings of nationalism. There has been back-and-forth spats between sports officials and politicians after the Basque Country region was allowed to compete as a nation in international competitions in pelota vasca, a sport that was in the Olympics more than 100 years ago but is now rarely seen in most parts of the world. Even sport's highest court was asked to get involved. The dispute culminated this weekend in what many had thought was an impossible scenario: The Basque Country and Spain playing against each other in an international sporting event — the pelota vasca Nations League. The Basque Country, also known as Euskadi, maintains a strong cultural identity and traditions in a region once scarred by violence. The Basque separatist movement began in the late 1950s and was led by the now-defunct militant group ETA. In 2011, the group declared a 'definitive end' to an armed conflict that killed nearly 900 people, and it officially disbanded in 2018. What is pelota vasca and who won? Pelota vasca, also known as Basque pelota, is played on a court with players using their hands and different types of rackets to hit the ball against a high wall. Depending on which version of the sport is being played, there are different court measurements — all of them with a high front wall and most with another high side wall. The biggest court is 54 meters long (177 feet long). In the Basque Country region, it's considered by many as a national sport. There were jeers when the Spanish national anthem played at the awards ceremony in the Basque Country location of Gernika-Lumo. The Basque Country won the men's final on Friday night, while Spain took the victory in the women's decider. Legal fight The sport's Spanish federation had strongly opposed the recognition of the Basque team, citing alleged illegalities in the recognition process by the international body. It denounced 'pressure, threats and coercion' against Basque players who had chosen to play for Spain. Spain eventually went to the Court of Arbitration for Sports and asked for a ruling on the legality of the changes made in the bylaws of the international federation to allow the Basque team to be recognized. The Spanish federation said it was not allowed to vote in the general assembly in late December. The CAS decision is still pending. 'It's essential to emphasize that this is not an issue against the Basque Country, but rather a matter of legality,' the Spanish federation said in one of its many statements. The Spanish federation at one point complained of a lack of government support and was especially upset when the nation's top sports official, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, said that pelota vasca shouldn't be considered a Spanish sport in the sense that it is not played throughout the nation. The Spanish federation said the sport has an 'unquestionable national presence' with more than 10,000 athletes in the country. 'Exciting step' Politicians in the Basque Country had deemed the recognition by the international federation as historic. They had been working on making that possible for several years but lacked legal backing within local laws and statutes. 'It was unimaginable not too long ago to see these athletes wearing the Basque Country jersey in an international competition,' said Aitor Esteban, president of the Basque Nationalist Party. 'I think it's an important and exciting step. It's another step toward national recognition as a country. This international presence gives us visibility.' The Spanish federation said the Nations League can't be considered an official competition because the international federation did not meet the requirements needed to be able to host the event on Spanish soil, which included proper approval by Spanish officials. The Spanish federation said it only participated in the event out of consideration for its athletes who wanted to play and were afraid that the competition could eventually serve as a qualifier for next year's world championships in Argentina, as indicated by the international body. The Spanish federation insisted it can't be considered an official competition. The Basque federation of pelota vasca praised the fact that its national team became a 'reality.' 'We were born to grow and promote pelota vasca. It is part of our culture, of our identity and of our people,' it said. 'We look to the future with hope, the future is ours.' In addition to Spain and the Basque Country, the other participants in the Nations League were the United States, France, Mexico and the Philippines. Pelota vasca was an official Olympic sport at the 1900 Paris Games and has been a demonstration sport several times since then, most recently in Barcelona in 1992. Variations of pelota vasca include jai alai, which in the United States is mostly played in Florida. Other countries where the sport is seen include France, Argentina, Mexico and Cuba. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Alec Burleson's go-ahead RBI single
These 10 F1 Drivers Are DOMINATING The 2025 Season! Buckle up for the ultimate F1 power rankings! We're counting down the TOP 10 hottest Formula 1 drivers heading into the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal. From Oscar Piastri's dominant wins to Lando Norris's red-hot streak and Charles Leclerc's Ferrari magic, these drivers are bringing the heat! After thrilling races in Imola, Monaco, and Spain, who's got the momentum? Find out now and see why these stars are the ones to watch! Don't miss the action—subscribe for more F1 updates and check out the latest racing news at 2:10 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Fox Sports
36 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Coco Gauff handles bad memories and top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka to earn first French Open title
Associated Press PARIS (AP) — Drawing on the painful memory of her defeat three years ago in the French Open final gave Coco Gauff just the motivation she needed to win the clay-court major for the first time. The 21-year-old American defeated top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday for her second Grand Slam title, two years after winning the U.S. Open. 'I think (the U.S. Open victory) was more emotional but this one was harder,' said Gauff, who managed to handle the elements and the momentum swings better than Sabalenka. "I knew it was going to be about will power and mental (strength)." The victory put to rest the bad memories of her 2022 French Open final loss to Iga Swiatek when, as an 18-year-old, Gauff felt overwhelmed even before stepping onto Court Philippe-Chatrier. 'It was a tough time, I was doubting myself," Gauff recalled. 'I was crying before the match, and so nervous, literally couldn't breathe and stuff." Gauff said that the lopsided loss rocked her confidence to such an extent that she was left 'in a dark place' and feared she was not cut out for winning major titles. 'I thought if I can't handle this how am I going to handle it again?' she said. She handled it just fine on Saturday. The second-ranked Gauff made fewer mistakes and kept her emotions in check to get the better of Sabalenka again at major final, having come from a set down to beat the Belarusian in the 2023 U.S. Open final. Gauff raised the winners' trophy aloft, then kissed it several times. She held her hand over her heart when the U.S. national anthem played. 'This one is heavy," Gauff said. 'It feels great to lift it.' She is the first American woman to win at Roland-Garros since Serena Williams in 2015. It was the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 final in Paris since 2013, when Williams defeated Maria Sharapova, and just the second in the last 30 years. After Sabalenka sent a backhand wide on Gauff's second match point, the 21-year-old American fell onto her back, covering her face with both hands as she started to sob, then got up and held her hand over her mouth. She continued to sob as she patted the clay with her left hand. Gauff greeted Sabalenka at the net with a warm hug and thanking the umpire, Gauff screamed out with joy and relief, then got to her knees and crouched forward, continuing to cry as she savored the win. She hugged later film director Spike Lee and celebrated with her entourage in her box before thanking the fans. 'You guys were cheering for me so hard," she said. "I don't know what I did to deserve so much love from the French crowd.' One thing Gauff could not manage — yet — was a victory speech in French. 'I completely tanked on that," she said, adding that she will try in the future. 'I don't think I could do a whole speech but maybe a good something to say to the French crowd.' Sabalenka praised Gauff for being a 'fighter' and said she deserved the win, but added that the windy conditions made for an error-strewn contest. 'This will hurt so much," Sabalenka said. "Coco, congrats, in the tough conditions you were a better player than me.' Both players were sloppy in the first set, conceding 21 break-point chances and making 48 unforced errors between them, with Sabalenka making 32 yet still winning the set. She made 70 altogether in the match, compared to 30 overall for Gauff. Sabalenka was often frustrated, remonstrating and shouting at herself and frequently turning around to look at her team with an exasperated look on her face. She put her head on her hands a couple of times, and at one point raised her shoulders as if to say 'What's going on?' Gauff said she paid no attention, knowing full well that Sabalenka could find her best game at any moment. The first set looked to be heading Gauff's way when she led 3-0 in the tiebreaker, but Sabalenka steadied herself and clinched it with a forehand volley at the net. Gauff leveled the match with a smash at the net. But Sabalenka stuck to her high-risk approach in the deciding set. One superb rally in the third game drew loud cheers. After an intense exchange of drop shots, Gauff hit a lob that Sabalenka chased down before attempting a shot between her legs — only for Gauff to intercept it at the net. It was a rare highlight on a day when swirling wind troubled both players with the roof open. 'It was tough to plant your feet, the ball was moving so much," Gauff said. 'It was not a day for great tennis, honestly." ___ AP tennis: in this topic
