Max Verstappen said after the Singapore Grand Prix that his punishment for swearing in a news conference could speed up his exit from Formula One. (More Motorsport News)
Verstappen, who finished second behind title rival Lando Norris on Sunday, has often said that he is not motivated by having a long career in the competition.
The Dutchman has now gone seven Grand Prix without a pole position and seven without a victory, but did halt his two-race podium drought this time around.
But Verstappen's weekend was dominated by his actions off the track rather than on it, saying the controversy could make his departure from the sport a lot quicker.
"These kinds of things definitely decide my future as well, when you can바카라t be yourself or you have to deal with these kinds of silly things," Verstappen said.
"Now I am at the stage of my career where you don바카라t want to be dealing with this all the time. It바카라s really tiring.
"For me, that is not a way of continuing in the sport, that바카라s for sure."
On Friday in Singapore, Verstappen was ordered by race stewards to "accomplish some work of public interest" swearing while describing his car바카라s performance in Baku while speaking in the official pre-event news conference on Thursday.
He staged a protest against the decision by giving short answers in the official post-qualifying news conference.
Verstappen called the penalty "ridiculous" and was backed by Norris and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
"If you can바카라t really be yourself to the fullest, then it바카라s better not to speak," Verstappen said.
"But that바카라s what no one wants because then you become a robot and that바카라s not how you should be going about it in the sport.
"You should be able to show emotions in a way. That바카라s what racing is about. Any sport.
"Anyone on the pitch, if they get tackled, or get pushed, or they are not happy with something or there is a frustrating moment, or something they get asked about, it바카라s quite normal there can be a sort of reaction."
There was also an emotional moment for Verstappen's former Red Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, with the Singapore Grand Prix potentially his final race in F1.
Rumours had swirled in the build up to this weekend's race that the eight-time Grand Prix winner would be replaced at RB by Liam Lawson for the final six races of the season.
The Australian recorded the fastest lap and was voted the driver of the day, but Ricciardo gave his clearest indication that this weekend may be the end of his career in the sport.
Referring to his fastest lap attempt, Ricciardo said: 바카라It was maybe just to have one last crack at doing a fast one, if it is to be it.바카라
Pushed on whether that meant Singapore may have been his last Grand Prix, Ricciardo replied: 바카라Possibly, I have to acknowledge that.
"It바카라s been a little bit of a race-by-race situation and I would have obviously loved the weekend to have gone better. It didn바카라t, so I have to prepared for this maybe being it.
"I do feel, let바카라s say, at peace with it.
바카라At some point, it바카라ll come for all of us바카라 I think also, I tried to get back into Red Bull, it didn바카라t work out, so then I also have to say, 바카라Okay, what else am I ultimately doing here and trying to achieve?바카라
"Let바카라s say maybe the fairytale ending didn바카라t happen, but I also have to look back on what it바카라s been. Fourteen or so years and I바카라m proud.
바카라I think when you바카라ve experienced the highs of winning, you can only fight for P10 for so long."
Ricciardo was spotted taking his time getting out of the cockpit, the Australian appearing to savour the final moments with the car after a gruelling 62-lap race.
Across his 13-year career, Ricciardo has won eight times, with his latest win coming for McLaren at the Italian Grand Prix back in 2021.
But as he crossed the line for potentially the final time, the Australian struggled to hold back the tears.
바카라A lot of emotions, because 바카라 look I바카라m aware it could be it, and I think it바카라s also just [being] exhausted after the race," Ricciardo concluded.
"So it바카라s like a flood of many emotions and feelings and exhaustion.
바카라The cockpit is something that I got very used to for many years,바카라 added the veteran of 257 Grand Prix starts, tearing up. 바카라I just wanted to savour the moment.바카라
