Mohammed Bem Sualyen, FIA president, filled Max Verstappen with praise and showed himself to be a big fan of the driving style and mental strength that the four-time Formula 1 champion displays, and acknowledged that he might need to vent.
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The Dutchman has been one of the main headlines in the 2026 season. With the introduction of the new technical regulations, the Red Bull driver has shown himself to be quite opposed to the path taken, casting doubt on whether he will remain on the grid after the end of the year.
The official then declared himself a fan of the way Verstappen drives, and believes that what the driver says is not always what he will do. “He does not get distracted. He is strong, not in the way he drives, but mentally he is very strong,” he said.
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“But after what happened, maybe last year [when he lost the fifth title to Lando Norris by two points], and then this year, it is something I feel he needed to express and say what he thinks,” he continued.
“But what he says, is it what he really wants to do? I really don’t think so,” he concluded.
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