Max Verstappen says 'people can't handle truth' as he refuses to discuss Saudi GP incident

Red Bull's Max Verstappen remained tight-lipped on his penalty woes following the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix , where he was hit with a five-second time penalty for an early tussle with Oscar Piastri . Despite finishing just shy of three seconds behind the McLaren ace, suggesting a possible victory had it not been for the stewards' decision, the Dutchman was not in the mood to delve into the incident during his media obligations. He abruptly shortened his parc ferme interview, cautioning presenter David Coulthard that he was "going to keep it quite short.

" After expressing gratitude towards his fans and eliciting a rapturous applause, Verstappen issued a terse remark to end the talk before keeping coy in front of reporters about his costly penalty. "The rest is what it is," ended Verstappen. Obliged to participate in the FIA press conference due to his top-three finish, the Dutchman then did make an appearance but dodged questions about the contentious penalty.



"I cannot share my opinion about it because I might get penalised also, so it's better not to speak about it," he initially responded when probed about the incident. "I think it's better not to talk about it. Anything I say or try to say about it might get me in trouble.

" As per the FIA's new stringent regulations for the current season, drivers could face severe penalties, including hefty fines, race bans, and points deductions for misconduct such as swearing during press conferences. Moreover, any remarks deemed damaging to the FIA or Formula 1 can also lead to punishment. Given the potential repercussions, Verstappen chose to keep his opinions on stewarding decisions to himself.

When pressed by journalists about his subdued demeanor and whether he still finds joy in F1, Verstappen explained: "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. 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." When pressed with one final question regarding the target of his frustration about the current state of affairs, Verstappen's ire was aimed at the FIA's tighter regulations.

He admitted: "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? 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.

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