\n<\/p>\n
Asked whether he had concerns about the situation, Russell said: “No concerns about him or his driving. I am not going to change my approach fighting him or other drivers.”<\/p>\n
Russell also expressed his opinions about the decision by governing body the FIA to codify a system that could lead to drivers being banned for swearing or criticising<\/a> race officials.<\/p>\n The 27-year-old, who is a director of F1 drivers’ body the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), said: “It’s going quite far. As drivers we have to continue to show our personalities. We don’t want to be in a bubble. That’s pretty obvious.<\/p>\n “There is merit in saying you shouldn’t swear in an environment like this [a news conference]. But when it’s not your first language the first words you get taught are the swear words.”<\/p>\n Last year, Verstappen was ordered to do a form of motorsport community service after swearing in a news conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.<\/p>\n The four-time world champion responded by restricting his answers<\/a> in an official FIA news conference the following day and speaking to journalists outside the room.<\/p>\n Asked about the FIA increasing the severity of the potential punishments for swearing, Verstappen said: “I don’t need to say anything, Everyone’s reaction to it, that says enough. <\/p>\n “I of course understand you cannot swear anywhere. But in the heat of the moment, playing sport, sometimes things slip out a little bit. Plus we all grew up, playing sport or football; it happens that you use a swear word, and we shouldn’t take it so serious. I am not going to tell you how you should behave in life. But we have to deal with it.”<\/p>\n At the weekend, world rally driver Adrien Fourmaux became the first driver punished under the new ruling.<\/p>\n He was fined 10,000 euros (\u00a38,300), with a further 20,000 euros (\u00a316,600) suspended, for swearing in a TV interview after a special stage.<\/p>\n Last week, Williams drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon<\/a> both said it was wrong to threaten drivers with bans for swearing – but agreed drivers should watch their language out of the car.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n