Max Verstappen continues his feud with the FIA. Fearless as ever, even with the season over, he has once again criticized the federation. He is a central figure in the most heated battles and isn’t in Formula 1 to make friends.
Undoubtedly, his biggest rivals this year have been the race stewards and the FIA, with whom he has clashed repeatedly on various issues. The main source of this conflict is the penalties for swearing, which Max Verstappen finds absurd and doesn’t hesitate to mock, even going so far as to threaten the sport’s governing body.
In the paddock, it’s well known that the four-time world champion won’t stay in the category much longer. He has openly stated this on multiple occasions and never misses an opportunity to criticize the FIA whenever there is a disagreement, often linking the federation’s actions to his future in the sport.
With the season concluded, the reigning champion was once again asked about the issue of swearing. Although he wasn’t as harsh as on previous occasions, he expressed frustration over the FIA’s penalties: “It’s something I don’t like about F1. Of course, I understand that you can’t swear during a press conference, but it was an expression that slipped out quickly,” he said in an interview with Viaplay.
“We all grew up this way, even the people sitting there. And there are those who say, ‘My five-year-old grandson is watching this.’ When I was five, I was also sitting among adults and swearing,” Max added, trying to explain that such language is commonly used, especially in competitive environments.
“You want to act strict like a child towards others. That’s part of the game. Of course, you have to be mindful of how you express yourself, but being punished like a child makes me ask: what are we doing in this sport?” Max Verstappen concluded, in what is once again interpreted as a threat: if this strictness continues, he will leave as soon as possible.
Max has never been a driver to hold back his opinions. The penalty imposed on him is debatable, as the FIA meticulously scrutinizes every word from the drivers while taking much longer to penalize a team exploiting a regulatory gray area or breaking the rules. Max’s question—“What are we doing in this sport?”—therefore carries even greater significance.
Leave a Reply