Verstappen set to continue FIA swearing protest at US GP

Max Verstappen has indicated that he is prepared to continue his protests in the official FIA press conference in the United States after the Singapore swearing controversy. 

The reigning world champion was slapped with community service by the stewards at Marina Bay for using the word "fucked" in Thursday's official pre-race session, and then proceeded to give short, curt answers in the post-qualifying and race sessions, but engaging enough to follow the rules around actually answering questions.

He then held impromptu media huddles in the paddock on both days after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had expressed his desire for drivers to swear less and for FOM to broadcast on-track swearing less.

Verstappen was not selected by the FIA to be in the Austin press conference, but the Red Bull driver could in the post-qualifying and race sessions across the upcoming weekend, and has indicated there will not be a shift in his attitude - as the GPDA defended the Dutchman.

"I haven't heard anything, so yeah, for me, it doesn't really change anything with the situation," Verstappen told media including RacingNews365.

"I mean, I also prefer to talk less so it is fine for me. 

When pushed if he would hold media sessions outside of the FIA press conference, Verstappen wryly added: "It depends how complicated the questions are."

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Verstappen is yet to learn when and where he will have to serve his community service punishment, but did respond to FIA steward Johnny Herbert, one of the panel who sanctioned him at Marina Bay.

Herbert felt the punishment was right given children, including his five-year-old grandchild could have seen the three-time champion swear, but Verstappen dismissed the idea of a five-year-old watching a press conference.

"It is the world that we live in, right? A lot of stuff is like that. I think this particular scenario, yes, I think it's very unnecessary," he added when asked if more had been made of the matter than was necessary. 

"I'm always open for a chat. But from my side, at the moment, I am not the one who has to reach out with this stuff. I just live my life, and just continue and nothing changes. 

"Of course, I know that you can't generally swear in context, but that's more related to when you insult someone.

"And then you hear comments [from Herbert] that you don't want kids seeing that. Well, when I was five years old, I never watched a press conference in my life anyway.

"At school, you said way worse things than that because you grow up with kids and you're bit of a rebel, so you always say bad stuff. That's just how life is.

"Of course, you want to set an example, but I don't think they should make such a big deal out of it. You're the sort

"I'm not aggressive, and like I said, I'm just living my life, and when I don't agree with something, I'll say it, but that's it."