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LONDON, England - Max Verstappen has ridiculed the importance of a global survey of fans commissioned by his fellow F1 drivers.
The 17-year-old is not a member of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association and told Algemeen Dagblad newspaper that he had no intention of joining.
He said his anti-GPDA stance had been reinforced in recent weeks after a couple of media reports about his driving tactics.
'WHAT IS THE VALUE?'
Verstappen said: "GPDA stands for 'racing united' but when other drivers are criticising as much as they are in the media, I think 'Why would you join it?' You pay for it and nothing happens... then what is the value? And do you really think they are going to listen to a boy of 17, with all of those egos?"
The strong stance was, however, astonishing from the youngest-ever driver in F1 - but perhaps not when he is often compared to an early Ayrton Senna. As for recent criticism of him by other drivers, Verstappen insisted: "I honestly don't care what other people say. I do my own thing, my own job."
His equally spirited father was and F1 driver nicknamed 'Jos the Boss'.
Verstappen jnr said he did not regret taking a strong stance against critics; they now knew he was not a pushover. "That's important."
As for the GPDA's global survey, he dismissed the significance of the results. "I think that sort of thing is pointless. So much is often discussed, but nothing ever happens. It's been like that for years.
"If anything is going to change, I don't think it's going to be because of the GPDA."