Max Verstappen: The less I say, the better

      Starting from pole position, Max Verstappen finished second in Jeddah and was reluctant to answer questions at the mandatory FIA press conference.…

      Q: Max, considering the condition of the car on Friday, are you happy with the weekend's results?Max Verstappen: Yes, I'm pleasantly surprised. It was difficult on Friday. No matter what I did in terms of driving, the tires just wouldn't work. The car behaved much better in the race. There were still some difficulties, but overall she was very competitive. At some point, when I started to break away from my rivals, I was very surprised.

      But don't get complacent. It wasn't that hot in Jeddah.  The number of our problems is growing with every degree, and we need to continue working on this. But the changes we made on Saturday also worked in the race, so I'm very happy.

      Q: On Friday, McLaren were one second faster than everyone else. How close were you to them in the race, if you compare the pace?Max Verstappen: I don't know. It's hard to say. I didn't look at the numbers. But on the track, I was pleasantly surprised by our pace. It turned out to be much better than I expected. So that's a good thing.

       Q: You crossed the finish line 2.8 seconds behind Oscar. The question arises, what could be the result without a five-second penalty? Could you give me your point of view on what happened at the start?Max Verstappen: The start, the first corner, and it's already lap 50. Everything happened very quickly. The problem is that I can't share my opinion about it because I might get fined. It's better not to tell me about it.

       Question: Okay, let's not talk about the fine. Let's just talk about the wheel-to-wheel race between you and Oscar?Max Verstappen: It all happened very quickly.

      Question: Have you discussed with the team the possibility of immediately returning the position?Max Verstappen: I think it's better not to talk about it. Anything I say or try to say about it could get me into trouble.

      Question: What does it take to get on the same level as McLaren? Do you need more stability from race to race?Max Verstappen: We need to make the car more efficient, find the right balance, and of course achieve stability.

      We are not good enough on all tracks this year. It's obvious. We missed a lot in Bahrain. Everything was much better in Jeddah. But, as I said before, it's not that hot here.

      We still have a lot to work on, but we have found a working balance and achieved a good result. This is positive.

      Question: You just finished second, you're third in the championship and you're not losing much, but you're not in the mood to talk much about what happened. Does all this still give you pleasure? Or has the pleasure already somehow worn off? Your answers have gotten shorter in recent months, and you don't look so happy anymore.…Max Verstappen: It has to do with social media and the way the world works. I prefer not to say much, because sometimes your words can be distorted or people will interpret them differently. The less I say, the better. That's what I'm trying to do.

      Question: It seems that since Singapore last year, you have to be more careful in your comments. Doesn't it upset you that you can't be open while others speak for you?Max Verstappen: That's the world we live in. You can't share your opinion because it's not appreciated, or people aren't ready to hear the truth. It's better if you don't talk too much. It will save me time, because we already have a lot to do. The less talking, the better for me.

      Q: This is your first time fighting Oscar for the title. What do you think about his start? How tough a competitor will he be in the fight for the title this season?Max Verstappen: I think I've said this before. People forget that last year was his second year, and now he's spending his third and is in great shape.

      Oscar is very calm in his approach, and I like that. This can be seen on the highway. He gives his best when necessary, makes almost no mistakes, and that's what you need when you're fighting for the championship. And I think Mark Webber's help is helping him a lot. I studied with my father, Mark gives advice to Oscar. After all, Oscar uses his talent, and that's great.