There is no aspect to Max Verstappen’s row with the FIA over his use of a swear word three days ago which fails to inspire despair.
Not only in FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem, whom for many inevitably fills the role of villain in this story. But also the driver, for his graceless reaction to it. Not to mention anyone who focused on this mindlessly trivial non-issue to the exclusion of all else.When Ben Sulayem remarked earlier this week he would like to hear less swearing from drivers’ radios, it was clear he’d found a hobbyhorse to rival his former preoccupation with that other great evil, drivers wearing jewellery. But at least his 2022 crusade could be regarded as an issue of safety, however clumsily the matter was handled.
Showing how little had been learned from that episode, Ben Sulayem framed his objection to swearing with a poorly-phrased reference to “rappers”. For some, notably Lewis Hamilton, that carried racial implications which were much more concerning than a simple ‘F-bomb’.
But Ben Sulayem had issued a warning, one which Verstappen either failed to see or chose to ignore. Speaking in Thursday’s official FIA press conference he described his car as “fucked”, a word choice which was as guaranteed to provoke a reaction as if he’d crept up behind a gorilla and poked it with a stick. Sure enough, on Friday the FIA announced he would be required to perform an act of “public work” to atone for the gaffe.
Of course, this wouldn’t be a story about the FIA’s enforcement of its rules without a glaring example of inconsistency. In the FIA press conference following the Monaco Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc used the same word Verstappen did. The FIA transcribed his comments and posted them on its website, where they have remained for the past four months, apparently without offending anyone. The FIA has not responded to RaceFans’ query why one comment provoked a penalty and the other was ignored.
But recent precedent exists which shows the FIA take this seriously. At the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year, Ferrari and Mercedes team principals Frederic Vasseur and Toto Wolff were dinged for the same thing as Verstappen. The pair took their ‘naughty schoolboy’ tellings-off on the chin. The same could not be said of the world champion.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
A simple acknowledgement that a mistake had been made could have helped drawn a line under this. Instead Verstappen made the risible argument that “the word used is ordinary in speech as he learned it, English not being his native language,” according to the stewards. The Red Bull PR machine is a highly professional operation – the entire company exists to market cans of soft drink – and the claim it has left arguably its most famous spokesperson ignorant of such a basic fact is more than dubious.
It is neither surprising nor unreasonable that an organisation should require its participants to conduct themselves professionally when representing them in an official capacity. Verstappen does himself no credit by pretending he does not realise this.
Likewise, as the FIA apparently cares so deeply about press conference profanity, it should apply its rules consistently. Failing to do so makes them appear bumbling at best and, at worst, out to make an example of Verstappen.
Moreover, the governing body has invited ridicule with the president’s implication that drivers, while under peak stress in racing conditions, should think first about moderating their language on their radios.
The FIA has already begun prosecuting drivers for insulting or offensive statements made on the radio. But trying to prosecute drivers for merely swearing in these circumstances would be a ludicrous overreach.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
It would also be entirely unnecessary. F1 already has an acceptable status quo as far as radio messages go.
Most drivers are probably always going to let a few swear words fly, some more than others. Formula One Management already applies not one but two levels of censorship to their every utterance. Messages which go out on the world feed are ‘bleeped’ as required.
Much of this has been overlooked amid the predictable and tedious furore the Verstappen case has provoked on social media and beyond. An argument so needless, so petty and so trivial it makes you want to swear.
Miss nothing from RaceFans
Get a daily email with all our latest stories - and nothing else. No marketing, no ads. Sign up here:
Comment
- Clean air is still king. Stewards must wise up and Jeddah needs a track limits fix
- Doohan’s crash is on him, but benching him for first practice made no sense
- Horner said Lawson would thrive “on tracks he knows”. So why drop him now?
- 11th team in, Fastest lap point out: Keep those U-turns coming, F1
- Does F1 play the wrong anthem when McLaren win? Lawson is only half-right
Steve Rogers (@beeflin)
22nd September 2024, 11:23
Nah, one side is right and one is wrong. I don’t find it inspiring when a journalist tries to take the moral high ground by condemning both sides.
frood19 (@frood19)
22nd September 2024, 20:38
That’s dumb. Obviously there’s more to it than that. It’s perfectly possible they all deserve a good sound slap – censuring swearing is just plain silly, far more so than merely censoring swearing, which is what the broadcasts do anyway. Max’s reaction to it just seems extremely childish.
Arthur Egges
23rd September 2024, 3:50
So he should just let it go? Get the punishment even though fully undeserved and all drivers backing him?
Besides that, I think Max was more talkative here than Kimi Raikkonen has ever been in a press conference, so what’s the fuss about? That he held his own press conference where he could freely speak and use his own words instead of the golden platter words of the FIA?
Esteban
23rd September 2024, 4:15
What you read here is no journalism, but highly biased opinions.
Salty (@salty)
22nd September 2024, 11:34
I agree. Just posted something similar, but far less eloquent on another thread here. But the answer does lay within the FIA remit to fix. Bleep!
Ideals
22nd September 2024, 11:40
I disagree that it reflects badly on Max. Max apologized to the stewards, and made no complaints about getting called there. He was apologetic to them after the fact, and apologetic to Tom Clarkson. He was very clear and determined in his protest to be directed at Ben Sulayem, and him alone.
Max’ excuse is also justified, contrary to what Keith says, in The Netherlands, swearwords are used, in casual day to day speak, as well as casual conversation on television. Even when the children are watching. The press conference is set-up to be a casual setting. The drivers sit on a couch, with Tom Clarkson casually sat next to them, with his legs crossed having a friendly conversation amongst friends. Max slipped up, but given his cultural background and the setting provided, it wasn’t exactly the gravest of errors, no matter how prudish the British broadcasting laws want to be about a swearword. It was bleeped out. Tom Clarkson reminded Max to watch the language, and that should’ve been that. Give him the fine if you must, but on every end it was a slip-up that was handled.
Max is being used as the latest tool of MBS to assert himself over FOM, that’s all there’s to it. Perhaps he also wanted to distract from Lewis calling him out earlier in the weekend. For me it’s clear. It’s time for Ben Sulayem to go. And Max’s perfectly reasonable “protest” that snubbed only the FIA and not the press, Tom Clarkson, or the FIA, was a good way to go about it for him.
I also appreciated the other drivers standing by him and especially Lewis outright stating Max should simply refuse to serve the “community service,” because much like the jewelry ban, this deserves a response on the highest level against MBS.
Craig
22nd September 2024, 22:02
I don’t find the “oh, people swear casually all the time” a good defense. If you were in an important meeting or job interview for your dream job would you drop a random F-bomb?
someone or something
23rd September 2024, 1:01
You do see the contradiction between the word “casually” and important meetings or job interviews? They’re mutually exclusive …
To quote Ideals’ comment:
Craig
23rd September 2024, 8:14
liberal use of the word “casual” doesn’t mean it actually is, your words are scrutinised in depth regardless of what you say.
Stephen Taylor
22nd September 2024, 11:42
Lets be honest MBS just wants to be seen to be doing something as he is seeking re-election . If he had his dream scenario MBS whould have the F1 paddock operating under Sharia law. Failing that I think he would prefer to see the F1 paddock become more closed off like it was under Bernie Ecclestone with team-fan engagenent and social media activity more more heavily restricted.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
22nd September 2024, 19:59
FYI, the Muslims are not the only religious types who have their own set of laws and community judges. This isn’t about culture, it’s about an individual who needs to take some leadership courses and not expect people to take a knee. Leadership isn’t begotten or taught, it’s lived and earned.
ludewig
22nd September 2024, 11:51
I think that Max was perfectly graceful by protesting the stifling of drivers’ freedom of expression by doing a Kimi, while making it clear that this was not aimed at the media, and doing extensive media interviews afterwards.
FIA/F1 is utterly hypocritical by intentionally choosing to publish the most incendiary board radio and by co-producing Drive to Survive, where they put a lot of focus on Steiner and other (often manufactured) drama. It’s like the kid in school who would egg on others to do transgressive things and then act all sanctimonious when the teacher punishes that behavior.
Of course, it is understandable from a corporate point of view that they have a level of drama that they are comfortable with and try to push things to that level to maximize engagement, but then punish anything beyond that (because they feel it hurts their brand or such). But I personally don’t want to live in a corporate society, where people may only express themselves in ways approved by corporations, and even get manipulated to act that way.
SteveP
22nd September 2024, 13:13
FIA/F1 is utterly hypocritical
MichaelN
22nd September 2024, 11:55
It’s true that this is a badly timed, badly handled distraction.
But two issues with the article:
1) Verstappen’s remark about speaking in his second/third language is not ‘risible’. The way Verstappen expressed himself in English is not unlike various crude but not necessarily offensive ways one might, in Dutch or German, say something has been messed up. It is a common limitation when speaking in a different language that the vocabulary to add shades of nuance is sometimes not available to a person. It’s totally fair to correct drivers, but it’s not fair to expect them to speak English in the same way a George Russell would, who – as far as I know – cannot speak any other.
2) Drivers are perfectly able of moderating their speech whilst in the car. Either that, or ‘what a ‘ is truly the most offensive thing someone with a 180 BPM heartrate can come up with whilst strapped into a car going 300 km/h through a modern city center. That seems unlikely at best. The FIA just wants to bring that language down a bit more, and whether or not one agrees if this is desirable, it’s not impossible.
Nick T.
22nd September 2024, 12:04
What’s been equally tedious is that you guys have published about a dozen articles on this story in two days for some inexplicable reason. There are so many more subjects you could be covering.
Nick T.
22nd September 2024, 19:10
BTW, this was a good article. Just felt a new article every time another driver weighed in on the case was a bit much.
Neil (@neilosjames)
22nd September 2024, 12:27
I’m very much on board with drivers standing up for themselves in the way Verstappen has, and also in favour of people down the ladder feeling comfortable in calling out a petty from-the-top edict for what it is.
So for me it’s reflected positively on Max, and badly on Ben Sulayem.
David (@nvherman)
22nd September 2024, 14:54
It’s quite simple. The FIA are in the wrong here.
They could clearly just not broadcast any radio transmission with obscenities in, it’s not like they’re live.
N
22nd September 2024, 15:00
‘They’ being FOM, the FIA is not FOM, it’s FOM who broadcast the radio messages.
David (@nvherman)
22nd September 2024, 15:54
Fair point, I realised that I’d chosen the incorrect TLA to as soon as I posted.
Either way, the point still stands
N
22nd September 2024, 16:14
I agree FWIW
This issue should have been discussed between FIA/FOM and not FIA/worlds media
Velocityboy (@velocityboy)
22nd September 2024, 16:36
Simple solution is to ban pit to car communication.
Axel
22nd September 2024, 17:15
I think Max’ comments make a lot more sense when you look at the Dutch television coverage and sports interviews there. Players and coaches do swear at times during interviews and while it might be a bit unusual, it is not a big deal and it isn’t beeped or censored. Most Dutch people aren’t bothered by it and se are surprised by the censoring in other countries like the UK or US especially. So with that in mind it is not weird that Verstappen is not used to ‘simple and not-offending’ swear words like ‘fuck’ being an issue.
MichaelN
23rd September 2024, 6:25
Indeed, and as I noted in my (ironically) censored post, it is somewhat unfair to dismiss bilingualism as an issue in this. It’s not as though everyone is both aware of, and has the words, to play to English sensibilities. Which, as an aside, aren’t somehow more valid than others.
Asd
22nd September 2024, 18:15
Keith Collantine, I must say that this article – on a literary level – is one of your finest works!
I can’t remember when last I enjoyed reading something as much as this. What a fantastic piece of writing!
Also, can you imagine if James Hunt was still alive? I would love to hear him unleash on BSM.
Paul
22nd September 2024, 19:05
Dictators, dodgy politicians and countries with poor human rights records – no problem
Naught words – OMG!!! how dare they say something that kiddies might hear!
If you think that’s bad, you should hear what comes out of the average 12 year old mouth, especially in a country like Australia.
Chris
22nd September 2024, 20:04
No, Keith, freedom of speech is not a molehill. The FIA is currently ruled by a childish little dictator. He’s been extremely negative about women, he’s been childish with the jewellery as you rightfully mention, he’s made the unbelievable mistake of calling into question the value of the entire sport, and now he’s showing his power hungry side once more.
Ben Sulayem needs to learn the values we believe in, in this sport. What good is it for our sports-washing little Middle-Eastern friends, if F1 alienates the Western public? Sport-washing only works if the people you’re trying to fool watch. And while Americans, such as the owners of the sport, love censoring television, they also love freedom of speech. As do most Europeans. Do we really want a cleaned up fake version of the sport? Where drivers are happy and cheerful after a life threatening crash? And where mechanics are happy to have their entire work that week undone by their driver crashing in the first lap? Or do we want a sport where people have real emotions, where they show how they really feel? I think it’s obvious which is better, and yes it is worth taking a stand. If you don’t, it’ll just get worse and worse.
Sulayem needs to go. He’s not good for the sport and everyone with half a brain knows it. And to have a current world champion who is willing to take a stand against this little dictator wannabe, is a really good thing. The best moment to stand up against someone like that, is the first moment they show who they really are. Max could just enjoy his money, his success, and ignore everything else, and I applaud him for choosing otherwise. You should too.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
23rd September 2024, 6:44
If that was the issue at stake I’d agree with you, but it’s not.
Craig
23rd September 2024, 8:16
I always get the impression people who throw around “freedom of speech” don’t actually know what it means.
Stephen Taylor
23rd September 2024, 11:28
@Keith Collantine Perhaps you would like to tell Max and the other drivers that to their faces the next time and see what response you get. To Max as far as he is concerned it is about free speech. Don’t type something you wouldn’t say to their faces
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
24th September 2024, 10:03
I find it odd you believe I wouldn’t when it’s here for all to see, besides the obvious point I don’t expect for a moment they’d be remotely interested in my opinion.
But it’s not an issue of ‘free speech’. As long as you are on someone else’s platform you are bound by their rules. You can say what you like elsewhere, but here you’re bound by our comment policy; Verstappen can say what he likes elsewhere, but in the FIA press conference he’s bound by their rules (when they bother to enforce them, which as you can see is as much my complaint here as anything else).
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
22nd September 2024, 20:27
Verstappen’s swear on Thursday may itself have been part of the protest. I don’t think he thinks he will die on this hill in any case, that if the jewellery ban is anything to go by, that the FIA will grow up eventually and that until then, he sees little point in paying any heed to its restrictions. He may pay for it but he thinks he can afford the fee.
Craig
22nd September 2024, 22:37
The jewelry thing was ridiculous ‘cos of how many loop holes it had (wedding rings, religious jewelry etc). the current swearing thing is silly but not for the same reason and if this was a “protest” it’s hardly a smart one.
Pjotr (@pietkoster)
22nd September 2024, 21:26
Now they have the Woke Police in F1. Maybe for every F1 event, race, interviews, press conference etc. issue a warning: Strong and offensive words are in this program, at user discretion. Done.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
22nd September 2024, 21:30
Nah man… This is just FIA getting in the way as always. They’d have not penalized anyone had MBS not said anything. They said the stewards had to intervene because it’s in the rulebook, yet they ignored almost every instance before. So that’s just the influence of the President, who really has a lot more important issues (sporting or otherwise) to sort out than foul language…
M2X
22nd September 2024, 21:32
The most hypocritical thing of all is that the Swearing King of Drive to Survive, Günther Steiner, is doing post-race interviews.
But if this is the game Ben Sulayem wants to play, he will have official press conferences where the defending World Champion won’t say anything, and will eloquently answer any media questions afterwards in his own press conference. It will be a very poor look for the FIA.
Andrew70
23rd September 2024, 0:05
He was told not to do something. He did it anyway.
He gets punished for it and then throws a strop.
So what if lots of adults swear in their day to day lives. This guy is on TV in front of millions, and is paid millions but being asked not to swear for 15 minutes is somehow stifling his freedom to be him? Please.
Saying English is not his first language is no kind of defence either because he has to think about his words more before uttering them than when he’s speaking in his native Dutch.
If being mindful of the range of ages that F1 is actively trying to appeal to is too onerous for him, let him leave and he can cuss elsewhere to his heart’s content.
He’s not being authentic, he’s just being precious.
Vincent Ouwehand (@bazzek)
23rd September 2024, 6:28
Nah, the people that cannot deal with him cussing are being precious.
Craig
23rd September 2024, 8:25
I entirely agree. I do think this crack down on swearing is ridiculous but Verstappen’s “protest” (if that’s what you want to call it) is ridiculous, almost as ridiculous as those trying to defend him.
If he wanted a real “protest” then he should have carried on as normal, if he swore while under pressure mid-race on the radio then you can point out the ridiculousness of the attempted crack down (which I’m assuming is ultimately so the radios can be put on TV more often.)
David BR (@david-br)
23rd September 2024, 12:38
The first point I’d make is that the idea drivers should be occupying precious brain bandwidth during Formula 1 races by ‘self-censoring’ their language detracts from Formula 1 hugely. Left to choose swearing-free radio or no radio, I’d choose the latter. Formula at its most compelling is all about high intensity, physical and mental peak performance, and emotive language is part of that. Imagine a football match where every player was miked and had to watch their language. It’s just stultifying.
Press conferences are something else. I’m not opposed to the idea that drivers should be expected to be professional, but really don’t personally see any issue in the occasional profanity. Verstappen apologized right away and really nothing else was necessary, just a reminder to him and Red Bull needed to be sent.
And yes, I find the FIA president’s public statements much more offensive. Verstappen was talking about his car being rubbish in colourful language. Ben Sulayem was offending an entire group of people in a racially-coded remark. If a young rapper happens to become a new Formula 1 driver, or indeed just works for one of the teams, is he not ‘one of us’? Just think carefully about the exclusionary politics going on in that statement.
David BR (@david-br)
23rd September 2024, 12:40
(he or she, I should add)
SteveP
23rd September 2024, 21:14
Are ‘they’ not one of us works well.
‘They’ would be quite handy dropped in as a gender-neutral word in many places in the FIA regulations. That should take about ten minutes to complete and check (or about 10 months for the FIA)
Swearing… If Max wants to create a less favourable opinion of him in various minds, it’s his choice.
Having that broadcast in various media?
I blame the audio/video media organisations – they all have mute controls they don’t use.
Ian Stephens
23rd September 2024, 18:42
I have a theory that people srop swear words into their conversation when their brains cannot keep up with their mouths.
For many people this is just a sign of inadequate brain power. However if a driver is trying to optimise the performance of a 1000HP car and keep it out of the walls his brain might just have more important things to do than feed words to his mouth fluently. Also when trying to choose the right words in a second language, speech demands more brain power which may not always be available.
However Max used an F-word as an adjective, not an interjection, so it was less excusable.
Ian Stephens
25th September 2024, 10:54
*drop* – I guess my brain could not keep up with my fingers:)
Richard
23rd September 2024, 19:01
I can’t think of a single swear word at least in English that doesn’t have the exact same meaning as another word deemed not offensive. The problem is this ridiculous notion that swear words even exist and that people are taught that some words are “bad” from an early age. If the public would simply quit telling people that these words are “bad” the negative interpretation of them would all but cease to exist.
The one time I’m on Max’s side.
immortan feijoa
24th September 2024, 0:32
I took this to be a wry reference to the excuse Tsunoda excuse made a while back for deploying the r-slur. Verstappen’s much funnier than he gets credit for.