Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen was disciplined on Friday for using bad language during a news conference where he spoke out against stricter rules on swearing by drivers.
The stewards from the FIA, the sport’s governing body, decided that Verstappen must “accomplish some work of public interest.” The specific details of this requirement will be worked out with the FIA.
Before the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday, Verstappen used a swear word to describe his car’s performance during qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix the previous week.
In their ruling, the stewards noted that Verstappen claimed the word was “ordinary in speech” because he learned it, and English is not his first language. They emphasized that as a role model, he should be “mindful when speaking in public forums.”
During the same news conference, Verstappen argued against “putting bans on drivers” for swearing. He mentioned that the decision to air drivers’ radio messages during races, especially if they include swearing, is up to the broadcasters.
“In other sports you don’t run around with a mic attached to you. I think a lot of people say a lot of bad things when they are full of adrenaline in other sports, it just doesn’t get picked up,” he explained.
This ruling comes after FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed concerns about the level of swearing, stating that “we have to differentiate between our sport — motorsport — and rap music.”
Ben Sulayem faced criticism from seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who argued that his comments contained “stereotypical” language about rappers with a “racial element.”
