Max Verstappen has fired another dig at the FIA (Image: Getty)
is not yet rid of his frustrations with the . He criticised F1’s governing body for ‘punishing him like a toddler’ at the Singapore Grand Prix. The driver recently served a community service punishment in Rwanda for the incident.
Aside from his fourth successive World Championship and memorable battles with , Verstappen’s 2024 campaign will be remembered for the swearing controversy in Singapore. The Dutchman suffered a slip of the tongue during the official FIA press conference and was punished heavily after a trip to the stewards.
Verstappen protested his community service punishment, giving short or “no comment” answers to all questions asked in the post-qualifying and post-race press conferences that weekend. The other drivers also overwhelmingly supported him, with and among those who condemned the ruling.
The saga is still a source of frustration for Verstappen. “That’s something I don’t like about F1,” he told Viaplay. “Of course, I understand that you can’t curse in a press conference, but it was language; it got out quickly.
“We all grew up like this, the people sat there as well. And certain people are saying: ‘My five-year-old grandchild is also watching this’. When I was 5 years old, I also sat between adults cursing. My parents didn’t curse at me, of course.
“But what do you think I said at school? You’ll always have that. Is it not said to me there, it’ll be used at school. You want to act tough as a child towards others. It’s a part of it. Of course, you have to watch your language, but to be punished like a toddler has me wondering, what are we doing in this sport?”
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Mohammed Ben Sulayem is clamping down on driver swearing (Image: Getty)
Some of Verstappen’s latest comments were targeted at FIA steward Johnny Herbert, who defended the decision to punish the four-time world champion, citing the young audience that watches Grand Prix events.
“There are many youngsters around the world who love the sport and worship the drivers. Drivers have to understand that they are role models,” Herbert explained. “We made the decision that there was a case to answer if you like. It is between Max and the FIA to agree what the sanction should be and what it would be. That part is out of our control.”
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Despite his protests, Verstappen served his swearing violation punishment in Kigali ahead of the annual FIA awards ceremony. He spoke to members of the Rwanda Automobile Club about his motorsport journey, engaging with the younger members of the organisation.
“He really fulfilled his promise,” explained FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “He was there. He was with the young girls and boys who built the car. Also, there were girls who were the first time for them in karting.”