Dismissing criticism of his aggressive driving style, Max Verstappen insists that he doesn't care if he becomes the sport's outcast.
It is understood that 19 of the current drivers are seeking an overhaul of the racing guidelines following recent incidents in Austin and Mexico City, the exception being three-time world champion Max Verstappen.
Defending his aggressive approach to racing, the Dutchman insists that he doesn't care about being the odd man out as he has the full support of those that matter to him.
"It's my tenth year in Formula 1, I think I know what I'm doing," replied the Red Bull driver, when asked his view on the calls for an overhaul of the racing guidelines. "I don't feel alone at all," he added, "I have good friends and family, so I'm good.
"You win some, you lose some," he continued. "That's how it is in racing in general. And yeah, I like to win. I don't like to lose. I think not many people like to lose. And I think, yeah, we just try to maximise the result."
As for the guidelines, Verstappen feels that the sport is already over-regulated.
"I think it's not that straightforward, clearly even between how many seconds (of penalties) that you get. Sometimes they work for you, sometimes they work against you.
"It's never going to be perfect because even if you remove rules, then you get into a battle, then you want more rules because it's not clear what is allowed or not. Then when you have too many rules, you want less rules. It just keeps on going left and right all the time."
Of the recent criticism of his driving, he said: "Some people are just being very annoying. I know who these people are, although I don't really pay a lot of attention to them.
"I think I've got to this stage in my career with the right people supporting me and making my own decisions, I have good people with a good heart from the outside.
"Some people are just a bit biased," he added, "I get it, it's fine. But it's not my problem at the end of the day. I just continue with my life and I keep performing."
Damon hill recently likened Verstappen's tactics to "Dick Dastardly", while Johnny Herbert, who was one of the Singapore stewards who punished the Dutchman for swearing in a press conference, claims the penalties in Mexico were appropriate.
"The right decision was made," said the Briton, "the 20-second penalty was not harsh. "Was Verstappen's driving style on the edge or over the top? Yes, it was," he added. "Verstappen's driving style was harsh, especially when he's taking a fellow driver off the track. It's an absolute no-no from me, current drivers, former drivers and stewards."
"I don't listen to those individuals," insisted Verstappen. "I just do my thing. I'm a three-time world champion, I think I know what I'm doing. I have my opinions, but I don't need to share them.
"I have people that are objective and close to me and not just there to steer... I can't say the word because I'll probably get another... I mean, apparently it only counts for me anyway, because, you know, after the race in Mexico, people, someone was swearing, I didn't hear anything from it," he said, a clear reference to Charles Leclerc. "It's better I don't swear again."
In a subsequent interview with member of the Dutch media, Verstappen suggested that there is an agenda behind the criticism.
"People act like I'm doing it all on purpose. But they can't see inside my head. They are pretty extreme accusations. Yes, we raced hard. That's right. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose."
"If they all knew it so well prior to their careers, they would all have become champions," he said of critics like Herbert. "I know a lot of people are biased and that I have the wrong passport. I'm very happy with my passport, mind you, but in this paddock it's the wrong one. I know how most people are.
"Last year almost everything went perfectly. It must have hurt a lot of people a lot that they couldn't say anything negative. Now it's all coming out and they're going full steam ahead. They're doing just fine. It doesn't upset me."
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