Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has joked that the “nice dinner and wine” he paid for during the Brazillian Grand Prix has made no difference to the way he’s treated by the FIA, after claims he’s on the backfoot with Formula One’s governing body heading into the final race of the season. Verstappen was hit with a £42,700 (€50,000) fine for touching the back of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes in Parc Ferme after qualifying for the race, after concerns from Red Bull that their main title rivals were running an illegal wing.
At the time, Verstappen joked that he hoped the FIA could have dinner on him, adding: “It’s quite a big fine, so I hope they have a nice dinner and a lot of wine.
“I hope good expensive wine, that would be nice. They can invite me for dinner as well. I’ll pay for that dinner too.”
Yet the 24-year-old was left fuming after the penultimate race of the season in Saudi Arabia after being slammed with two time penalties, one for gaining an advantage after leaving the track and one for “erratic” breaking, causing Lewis Hamilton to pile into the back of him.
Speaking ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, tied on points with Hamilton for the Championship, Verstappen was still reeling from the incidents.
When asked by Sky Sports F1 if he felt he was penalised for his racing style, the championship leader responded bluntly: “Clearly.
“I definitely get treated differently to some other drivers.
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“I don’t know why that is. You have to ask people, other people, that question.
“I mean I already paid a nice fine so that good dinner is on wine, but it doesn’t help”
Speaking during Thursday’s press conference ahead of what could be the most important race of his career, Verstappen dismissed any suggestion he and Hamilton needed to sit down and discuss racing standards.
“I don’t think we need to sit down,” Verstappen responded, frankly.
Pushed further on concerns they could crash on Sunday, given Verstappen has an incentive to because of his advantage over Hamilton in race wins, the Red Bull man responded: “As a driver, you don’t think about these things. You go to a weekend where you just want to do the best you can, as a team, and of course, you try to win the race.
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“But naturally the media starts to say these things, so I don’t really have a lot more to comment on that. I think I arrive here just trying to do the best I can, trying to be the best prepared and of course naturally trying to win this weekend.
“I know what’s in the sporting code,” added Verstappen. “No one needs to be reminded of that.”
Hamilton agreed with his main title rival, adding: “Not really much more to add,” speaking alongside Verstappen during the press conference. “I can’t control those things around me the only thing I can control is what do in terms of preparation and how I look after myself.
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