Reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen said that the FIA is "stubborn" in discussions with drivers and called for a better working relationship between the two parties.

The FIA introduced two new race directors for the current season, Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, after Michael Masi was removed from his position for his role in Abu Dhabi last season. The Australian left the FIA this week.

But Wittich and Freitas, along with the FIA race commissioners, have been criticized for a lack of consistency in handing out different punishments from race to race this year.

The Austrian GP also saw a strict crackdown on track limit abuse, a move that frustrated drivers as there were more than 40 cases recorded in the race alone.

Mercedes driver George Russell went so far as to ask the FIA to return to having a single race director.

But Verstappen said, "I don't think it necessarily depends on a race director. It's more about working with the drivers, just keeping your stance and being stubborn."

"You know, we want to make the sport better for everyone and it's not like we're fighting for ourselves."

"We have good conversations among the pilots and at the end of the day, more or less, we agree on most things."

"Of course, everybody has their own opinions about certain things, but like track limits, the debate about track limits in Austria was a joke, not only in F1, but in F2 and F3."

Verstappen questions the limits on time gains

Explaining why the track limit debate is not as straightforward as right and wrong, the Dutchman added: "It's easy to say from the outside, but you need to stay within the white lines."

"It sounds very easy, but it's not because when you go very fast through a corner and some of them are a little bit blind, if you skid a little bit more, the tires are worn out, it's very easy to go over the white line."

"But did we really gain time? Maybe yes, maybe no, and to be honest, there are only two or three corners where you can really extend little."

"I don't think we should have that value in an extra millimeter and already take a punishment or something."

"Just add a wall or put some gravel back in, like at the exit of turn six. That's great because there's gravel, you punish yourself if you widen the track."