Max Verstappen expressed significant irritation with what he called “childish” discussions surrounding his penalty points situation, stating it was “already pissing me off.”
The frustration surfaced after he was outqualified for pole position at the Canadian Grand Prix by George Russell. Their recent history includes an on-track incident in Spain two weeks prior.
In interviews, Russell appeared to taunt Verstappen by commenting on having more penalty points available to “play with” during Sunday`s race. Verstappen reacted visibly during the subsequent press conference, muttering and shaking his head as Russell spoke.
“I don`t need to hear it again. It`s really pissing me off,” Verstappen said when the topic was raised to him directly, with Russell seated nearby laughing at his reaction.
Verstappen continued, calling the focus on his points a “waste of time” and “very childish.” He added, “So that`s why I also don`t want to say too much, because it`s really annoying this world that we live in.”
Later, when asked if the situation added pressure to race starts, Verstappen responded sarcastically by raising his hands and giving a thumbs-up, saying, “Yep, I feel good.”
Verstappen currently sits just one penalty point away from triggering a one-race ban under the Formula 1 system, which covers a rolling 12-month period. While two of his points are set to expire on June 30th, any penalty awarded in the upcoming Canadian or Austrian Grand Prix could still result in a suspension for a subsequent race, placing him in a precarious position for the next couple of events.
