FIA-driver solution suggested for swearing clampdown after Singapore ‘controversy’

Guenther Steiner believes too much has been made of the FIA’s clampdown on swearing and Max Verstappen’s subsequent F-bomb, which he feels could’ve been avoided with a quiet word to the drivers.

Hours before the Singapore Grand Prix weekend began with the driver interviews on the Thursday, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem issued a clampdown on swearing as F1 drivers are not “rappers” and have to “be careful with our conduct”.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem could’ve dealt with it better, says Steiner

Shortly after Verstappen used the F word in the drivers’ press conference, saying his RB20 was “f****d” in Baku.

He was later found guilty of “misconduct” by the FIA for using language that is “generally considered ‘coarse, rude’ or may ’cause offense’.” He was ordered to carry out “some work of public interest”.

Verstappen called it a silly punishment, with his title rival Lando Norris saying it was “unfair” while Lewis Hamilton said the punishment was a “bit of a joke”.

As for Steiner, the man who can “f*k” with the best of them, the former Haas team boss believes too much has been made of the saga which could’ve been handled better by Ben Sulayem from the get-go.

“We’re discussing a thing which shouldn’t be discussed. It’s not even worth to discuss,” he told the Sky F1 podcast. “Max swore at the situation, he made a comment about his car. So is it right? No. Is it wrong? No. It’s just like he used the terminology which he decided to use. It’s fine.

“But the more you bring it up, more controversy you create. More people speak about it.

“I think if you don’t want this to happen what I would be doing, there are driver meetings. Every race there are all 20 drivers and you go in there you say, ‘Hey guys, I’ve got one wish. Can you help me out here? I’m the president you know’. I’m not, maybe one day I’m the president. ‘Can we tone the swearing a little bit down, guys, please’.

“You know, and there are 20 intelligent people. They don’t challenge you but if you tell them that you get fined or something, they challenge you.”

More on Max Verstappen’s swearing penalty

👉From Max Verstappen to Niki Lauda: Formula 1’s long history of drivers battling the FIA

👉The FIA’s hypocritical clampdown on swearing is exactly why the sport will lose Max Verstappen

“You know, because it’s difficult for race car driver when you’re sitting in a car and you go in 350/360ks and some other guy cuts you off, you say something in the emotion.

“You’re not thinking when you say F idiot. You know you don’t really mean that he’s an F idiot. You say ‘what did you do at that moment?’ The TV beeps it out anyway.

“So it is emotional, emotional people, what should you say? ‘Oh, my friend, you shouldn’t have done that’. No, you’re not gonna say that when your adrenaline is going and your pulse is up to 160, you’re not gonna say that.

“But that is also which defines us a sport. We need this inner sport emotions otherwise why would it be interesting? so I think it was made too much out of it, and we are speaking far too long about it now.

“It’s like, yeah, somebody used the F word, then don’t use it again. That’s it. Move on. You know? It’s life. That’s my opinion about that, you know.

“And obviously, Max, I think he said he’s not going to do the service he was told to do. So what is next? Will he really go to jail?”

Steiner is mistaken as it wasn’t Verstappen who said he wouldn’t do the community service, it was Hamilton who suggested it.

He said of the Dutchman’s penalty: “I think it’s a bit of a joke, to be honest. This is the pinnacle of the sport, mistakes are made. I certainly wouldn’t be doing it [serving the punishment] and I hope Max doesn’t do it.”

Told of Hamilton’s comment, Verstappen responded: “He’s also not the one being punished!”

Read next: Revealed: The ‘not inconceivable’ Max Verstappen exit scenario involving Fernando Alonso