'Verstappen's premature F1 exit is a real possibility and the FIA are to blame'

Although Verstappen's future has often been linked to a seat at Mercedes, or Aston Martin, with a stay at Red Bull whether for one more year or until his contract expires in 2028 still being very much on the table, Glock, however believes that the Dutchman could indeed leaves the sport prematurely.

"It could very well happen that he says: this is becoming too ridiculous and over-regulated," Glock told Sky DE. "Maybe he'll come back one day, but we should take Verstappen seriously when he says he'll leave if he continues to be excessively penalized."

Glock himself does not consider the penalty excessive. "He clearly disagreed with the decision, but I think it was the right one. He couldn't have taken that turn the way it should have been done, and the way he accelerated afterwards was reason enough for the stewards to give him a five-second time penalty."

Following the Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia, Verstappen refrained from commenting on the penalty due to the FIA's strict penalty policy. Glock holds this against FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. "I have rarely seen a president cause so much controversy. It's not good for the sport. Ultimately, you want to see emotion – the fans too. He's not doing himself any favors in his position," said the German.

Recently, Ben Sulayem took to his Instagram account to reveal he is taking the drivers' view of the penalty guidelines into consideration for review. This change of heart comes when the FIA elections are set to take place later on in the year.