Lewis Hamilton has told Max Verstappen not to complete the "work of public interest" he has been handed as punishment for swearing in a Formula 1 press conference.
The reigning world champion was summoned to the stewards in Singapore after saying he "knew the car was f****d" when answering a question during a drivers' media session on Thursday in reference to his performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last weekend.
He was ultimately ordered to "accomplish some work of public interest" by the FIA, with the furore around drivers' swearing becoming arguably the main talking point of the week leading into Sunday's grand prix.
Having given short shrift to all questions he was asked in the post-qualifying press conference after putting his Red Bull second alongside title rival and pole-sitter Lando Norris, Verstappen then held an impromptu briefing as he walked through the Singapore paddock surrounded by journalists.
Hamilton had come out in support of his old foe during the press conference itself after qualifying third.
"It is a bit of a joke, to be honest," the Mercedes driver said of the punishment dished out.
"This is the pinnacle of the sport, mistakes are made. I certainly wouldn't be doing it and I hope Max doesn't do it."
Norris agreed that it was not the right outcome. After joking that Verstappen "deserved it, foul language so…" the McLaren racer added: "It is pretty unfair, I don't agree with any of it."
Hamilton relished his team's improvement in form after "looking particularly very poor" during practice.
He explained that Mercedes was unable to dial out understeer and conceded to feeling "shocked" by the deficit to Norris in third practice.
But more changes made prior to qualifying had a profound effect in turning around his fortunes. Hamilton said: "It was like night and day, such a big difference.
"[The] car was all of a sudden alive, and I was able to go where I wanted to go.
"It was looking really strong throughout qualifying and I think obviously with the crash [for Carlos Sainz early on] in Q3 it made it difficult for all of us to put that final lap together."
Echoing Norris, who felt he was on a stronger lap before the red flag brought out by Sainz than the effort that ultimately yielded pole, Hamilton remarked that his lap "was also nothing special".
"Very difficult to get the tyres perfect and not overslide them, I had a lot of snaps," he added.
"With a better job, maybe we could have been front row with this guy [Norris], but I don't know whether or not we could have beaten him today. But still really, really happy."
Watch: Verstappen stages his own Press Conference in protest of the FIA - F1 Singapore GP Updates
