Verstappen slams 'silly' FIA rule

Max Verstappen has labelled a controversial FIA rule as 'silly' ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The Dutchman will be out on track in Melbourne this weekend as he once again begins the defence of his world drivers' title.

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But he faces a real battle to retain his crown, with the likes of last year's runner-up Lando Norris entering the new campaign as favourite after making significant strides in 2024.

His team-mate Oscar Piastri - who signed a new deal with McLaren this week - will also hope to be in the mix, as will Ferrari duo Charles Leclerc and blockbuster new arrival Lewis Hamilton, who will make his race debut with the Scuderia this Sunday.

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Verstappen will hope to enjoy a smoother season than the one he endured last time around, with a loss of performance on the track threatening to derail his championship bid, and questions over his long-term future at Red Bull refusing to go away.

The 27-year-old also fell foul of the FIA on multiple occasions, and was a vocal critic of the governing body's clampdown on drivers using bad language, at one stage threatening to quit F1 for good over the issue.

Verstappen has built up something of a reputation for X-rated rants over team radio - catching the attention of FIA boss Mohamed Ben Sulayem - but he has always insisted it's simply part and parcel of racing at the top level.

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Now, having been given a community service-style punsihment in 2024 for swearing during a press conference, Verstappen has slammed the strict stance being taken by the FIA.

In an interview with The Project, the 63-time race winner said: "It's a bit silly that we need to deal with these kinds of things.

"Sometimes when you have a lot of adrenaline, things happen. But that it's actually in the rulebook is a bit too much."

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