Marko issues F1 warning over Verstappen quit threat

Helmut Marko has warned F1 that Max Verstappen's threats to quit grand prix racing should be taken seriously after his FIA controversy.

In Singapore, Verstappen was handed community service by the stewards for a breach of the International Sporting Code for swearing in the FIA Thursday press conference.

He then refused to properly answer questions in the post-qualifying session, holding an impromptu media huddle in the paddock, and then post-race, indicated that the saga, brought about by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem's desire for less swearing by drivers, could hasten his retirement.

Verstappen has indicated his displeasure with F1 in recent times, especially around the introduction of sprint races, and currently has a contract until 2028, but could feasibly walk away from F1 sooner. 

It is a threat Red Bull motorsport advisor and close Verstappen confidant Marko believes must be taken seriously.

"Max needs to be taken seriously, he has achieved a lot, but it's important that he has fun and enjoys the whole sport," Marko told Motorsport Total.

"If that gets more and more ruined for him, then he falls out of [love with F1], and when he says, 'OK, that's it,' he will really mean it. 

"But I hope the current situation won't really cause him to retire any time soon.

"There is a double standard, and what's more, he wasn't referring to a person. He was referring to the car, an object, and in a flippant way. 

"Okay, it was in an afternoon press conference, but if everything is handled so strictly, it will be handled differently in future. But it's clearly excessive.

"I read this judgement very carefully and had to smile a little because part of the reasoning in it said: 'Max argued at the hearing that this is just the language he learnt [as a young driver]."