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By OÖN-Sport, September 23, 2024, 2:34 p.m.
Bild: GEPA pictures/ XPB Images/ Batchelor (GEPA pictures)
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Bild: GEPA pictures/ XPB Images/ Batchelor (GEPA pictures)
The Dutch world champion reacts to his swear word punishment
Max Verstappen finished second behind Lando Norris in the night race in Singapore on Sunday.
But the Dutchman’s mood was really spoiled by a punishment: Because the star driver had described his Red Bull racing car with the English swear word “fucked” during an official press conference on Thursday, he was sanctioned by the race stewards with a day of motorsport community service.
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This means, for example, making yourself available for questioning by junior police officers for training purposes or something similar.
Verstappen felt the punishment was excessively harsh and petty, which is why he practically boycotted the press conferences for the rest of the race weekend. The 26-year-old was present, but he hardly made any useful comments. Afterwards, he took the reporters to the Red Bull hospitality area to adequately answer their questions.
The world championship leader – 52 points ahead of Norris – left it open whether he still sees his future in Formula 1. “If you have to deal with such nonsense, then for me that is not an argument for continuing in this sport. That’s clear,” said Verstappen, speaking of being in a phase of his career in which such little things are simply tiring.
“Ultimately, I don’t know how seriously they take all this,” he added, addressing the FIA, the world motorsport association. “But for me there comes a point where I say: enough is enough. We’ll see. Formula 1 will go on without me. That’s not a problem for them. But it’s not a problem for me either.” When asked whether his affection for Formula 1 would wane as a result, Verstappen replied: “Yes, of course.”
Glorified on Netflix
Swear words are part of everyday life in Formula 1. Concerned about the external image and role model effect, the FIA recently announced that it would sanction them. While from the FIA’s point of view the current penalty against Verstappen can be seen as a signal to the rest of the paddock, elsewhere it is interpreted as excessive – especially since Verstappen had directed the swear word not at another person, but at his car.
“How much lifelong social work would Günther Steiner (long-time Haas team boss; note) have to do because he used the F-word?” asked Alex Wurz, chairman of the drivers’ union GPDA, at “formel1.de”. “He was glorified for using the F-word. Netflix broadcast it worldwide, no problem. OK. But then to suddenly change his mind?” the Austrian explained the disproportionate nature of the decision.
Verstappen even received support from his long-time arch-rival Lewis Hamilton, who declared that he would refuse to do community service if he were in his place. He did not want to go that far, said Verstappen.
