A silent and controversial post-race
A new detail has emerged in the already controversial aftermath of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which had Max Verstappen as its undisputed protagonist. After receiving a five-second penalty during the race for cutting Turn 1, the Dutchman very publicly decided not to answer any questions regarding the incident. The reigning champion avoided the topic both in the standard interview with the top three finishers after the GP, in the various television interviews, and even in the press conference, where he clarified that he did not want to talk about the matter in order to “save time and avoid trouble.”
Now, a video has surfaced on TikTok, recorded on a smartphone from the grandstands and published by the account @tothegrandprix, showing FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem speaking directly to Max Verstappen immediately after the race, while the world champion was still removing his helmet. The footage shows Ben Sulayem saying something to Max Verstappen, who appears displeased. The Dutchman briefly greets Zak Brown and then replies to the FIA president, twice opening his arms in a gesture that suggests frustration.
The post-race conversation
Since there’s no audio of the exchange, there’s no concrete evidence of what was said between the two, who had also spoken—apparently much more amicably—before the race in the Red Bull garage. However, Verstappen’s body language suggests that the topic of conversation may have been the incident involving him and Oscar Piastri at the start. According to many, it seems likely that Mohammed Ben Sulayem may have taken the opportunity to ask Verstappen not to criticize the stewards’ decision publicly.
@tothegrandprix MBS confronted Max after the race, warning him to refrain from criticising the FIA on the penalty he received, or face consequences. That could explain why Max looked so visibly angry in the cooldown room, on the podium, and during post-race interviews. #maxverstappen #supermax #verstappen #mv1 #mv33 #f1 #formula1 #formule1 #formel1 #f1drivers #f1fans #f1tiktok ♬ original sound – tothegrandprix
There’s no confirmation of this, but it’s worth remembering the strong stance the FIA president has taken against dissenting expressions from drivers and team principals that are too strongly worded. Yet, one must wonder whether such visible interventions from the head of the federation risk becoming excessive and bordering on intimidation toward the drivers. Only Max Verstappen could clarify, if he chooses to, what was discussed with Mohammed Ben Sulayem in Jeddah. What is certain, however, is that the Dutch superstar’s media silence began immediately after that exchange.
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