Sep.24 (GMM) The Formula 1 drivers’ union, the GPDA, appears to be fully supportive of Max Verstappen in the wake of the ‘F-word’ saga in Singapore.
Just as FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said he was clamping down on foul language, Verstappen immediately tested the waters by describing his Red Bull car as “f**ked” in the FIA press conference on Thursday.
He was sentenced to a day of unspecified community service.
“How many lifelong community service sentences should Gunther Steiner have received for saying the F-word, then,” Grand Prix Drivers’ Association president Alex Wurz quipped to formel1.de.
“He was idolised for it and Netflix broadcast it worldwide without any problem.”
Triple world champion Verstappen responded to his penalty with fury and protest action, refusing to say almost anything in the remaining FIA press conferences of the weekend and hinting that the saga could even accelerate his retirement plans.
Rene de Boer, a well-known motorsport communication and PR consultant, thinks the FIA president’s clampdown is strategic. “The FIA is suffering from a need to reprofile itself,” he said.
“They are getting involved in more and more things, but this has actually been going on for a while.”
Indeed, Verstappen also aimed fire at Carlos Sainz’s huge monetary penalty in Singapore for crossing the track after a qualifying crash.
“I mean, what are we talking about?” said the Dutchman. “It’s a red flag, the cars were all coming in. I think it’s quite safe and he knows what he’s doing. We’re not stupid.
“My God, all these kinds of things are just super stupid.”
Verstappen, 26, said he was unapologetic about taking a stand on the issues. “I just want to make sure that it doesn’t continue to be like this,” he confirmed.
De Boer says the issue of banning swearing is particularly egregious.
“These are grown men and professional athletes,” he told NOS. “Of course they are role models, but let them take that responsibility themselves. They don’t need to be reprimanded for every little thing.”
Verstappen was even backed by his 2021 title nemesis Lewis Hamilton in Singapore, who even urged the Red Bull driver to refuse to serve his penalty.
“Well, he’s not the one being punished,” Verstappen laughed. “But right now I’m actually not thinking about the punishment at all. I shouldn’t waste my energy on it because it’s really ridiculous.”
But George Russell senses that Verstappen might actually race next year before sitting out 2026 entirely – also for strategic and performance reasons.
“Max could take a year off in 2026 and see what the best team is,” said the Mercedes driver. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he did that.”
As for GPDA president Wurz, he said a priority will now be coming to some sort of resolution about Verstappen-like swearing penalties with the FIA.
“Drivers need to be able to express themselves authentically to a certain extent,” he said. “Of course it shouldn’t be insulting or discriminatory, but personally I think this punishment for Max goes too far.
“Normally we discuss these matters internally and I also hope that behind closed doors we can resolve this issue with the FIA,” said the Austrian.