- France's Macron appoints new government in shift to right
- Cheika proud of Leicester grit after winning start as boss
- Profligate Man Utd pay price in 0-0 draw at Palace
- Diaz fires Liverpool top of Premier League, Man Utd held at Palace
- LIV champion Rahm out of LIV Team semis with severe flu
- Slot surprised by tearful Nunez's moment of magic
- Title rivals Norris, Verstappen on 'cool' front row for Singapore GP
- Juve and Napoli play out goalless draw in early Serie A title tussle
- Alcaraz fears tennis tour grind will 'kill us'
- Leclerc, Sainz lament 'disappointing' Saturday in Singapore
- Bottega Veneta holds investors' aces as Madonna pops into D&G
- Beirut digs for victims at building flattened in Israeli strike
- Verstappen stages protest over 'ridiculous' swearing punishment
- Bayern boss Kompany lauds 'special talent' Olise
- Diaz fires Liverpool top of Premier League, Spurs bounce back
- Heavy fire over Israel-Lebanon border after deadly Beirut strike
- Myanmar flood death toll jumps to 384
- Chelsea owners 'happy' with win at West Ham amid rift report
- Kane and Olise run riot as Bayern thump Bremen
- Ramos guides unbeaten Toulouse to Montpellier win
- Norris pips Verstappen to dramatic Singapore pole after Sainz crash
- Carey takes Australia to 270 in 2nd ODI against England after collapse
- Hungary Danube waters reach decade high after Storm Boris
- Bagnaia cuts Martin's MotoGP lead with Emilia-Romagna sprint win
- Jackson double fires Chelsea to victory at woeful West Ham
- Fiji beat Japan to lift Pacific Nations Cup
- Kasatkina to face Haddad Maia in Korea Open final
- S.Africa snowfall closes roads, strands motorists overnight
- Lawyers of women alleging Al-Fayed sex abuse receive over 150 new enquiries
- President Museveni's son backs Ugandan strongman for 7th term
- Norris quickest as Verstappen bounces back in Singapore practice
- Wallabies lament All Blacks' fast start
- Germany's Oktoberfest opens under tight security after attacks
- Environmental protesters block French cruise liner port
- No place like home: Biden hosts 'Quad' leaders
- Zelensky says no UK, US go-ahead to use long-range missiles
- New Zealand edge Australia 31-28 in Bledisloe Cup thriller
- Japan orders evacuations as heavy rains trigger floods in quake-hit area
- New Zealand pilot freed in Indonesia after 19 months in rebel captivity
- Hezbollah in disarray after Israeli air strike kills top commanders
- Leading climate activist released from Vietnam jail
- Ethiopians struggle with bitter pill of currency reform
- Sri Lanka votes in first poll since economic collapse
- Feminist author warns of abortion disaster if Trump wins US election
- US city of Flint still reeling from water crisis, 10 years on
- Arsenal's mean defence faces acid test to shut out Man City again
- Late surge lifts Thailand's Jeeno to LPGA Queen City lead
- DeChambeau says PGA's Ryder Cup decision 'just the start'
- Alcaraz defeated on Laver Cup debut
- Postecoglou embraces 'struggle' to make Spurs a success
Verstappen stages protest over 'ridiculous' swearing punishment
Max Verstappen staged a one-man protest at the Singapore Grand Prix Saturday against his "ridiculous" punishment for swearing in an earlier session this week.
Verstappen qualified second on the grid for Sunday's race behind Lando Norris then gave only short answers or said "no comment" to reporters in the official FIA post-qualifying press conference for the top three drivers.
Three-time world champion Verstappen was effectively slapped with Formula One "community service" by the governing body FIA for his use of foul language.
The Red Bull driver must "accomplish some work of public interest", said a panel of FIA stewards, after using the F-word in Thursday's drivers' press conference which was being broadcast live.
Verstappen was deemed to have used language "which is generally considered 'coarse, rude' or may 'cause offence' and is not considered suitable for broadcast," read the stewards' decision.
Dutchman Verstappen said that he was happy to answer journalists' questions outside, but not in the official FIA media session.
"I find it, of course, ridiculous what happened," he said of his sanction. "So why should I then give full answers?
"It's very easy to get a fine, or you get some sort of penalties. So I prefer then not to speak a lot, save my voice.
"I mean, we can do the interviews also somewhere else, if you need some answers to the questions asked."
- 'Pretty unfair' -
He later told Sky Sports F1: "It's just ridiculous to get a penalty for that. When you insult someone, that's pretty clear. I didn't even aim it at a person. It's a bit of a slip of the tongue moment."
Verstappen received support from both Norris and Lewis Hamilton, who was third in qualifying at the Marina Bay Circuit, during the official press conference.
"I think it's pretty unfair," said McLaren's Norris of the sanction. "I don't agree with any of it."
Mercedes driver Hamilton agreed.
"I think it's a bit of a joke, to be honest," said the seven-time world champion and he urged Verstappen to ignore the punishment.
"This is the pinnacle of the sport. Mistakes are made. I certainly won't be doing it (community service), and I hope Max doesn't do it."
Drivers had been asked this week to tone down their use of foul language over team radio during races.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in an interview that motorsport was not "rap music" and drivers should mind their language, especially as children might be watching.
Leading drivers hit back at Ben Sulayem, saying in the heat of battle emotions run high and their words could be simply edited out of the broadcast.
Hamilton took umbrage at Ben Sulayem's comparison with rap music.
"I don't like how he's expressed it, saying 'rappers' is very stereotypical. And most rappers are black," said Hamilton.
"That was the wrong choice of words. There's a racial element there."
F.Santana--PC