Max Verstappen and swearing: an endless case that continues to be discussed. The reigning world champion will have to serve community service for inappropriate language used during the Singapore press conference.
The Dutchman had called his Red Bull “f***ing” in Azerbaijan, just hours after the FIA announced its intention to reduce the use of vulgar expressions by drivers. However, Max Verstappen was sanctioned for violating the sporting code on swearing, and the stewards have ordered him to perform “socially beneficial work.”
The Red Bull driver has yet to serve this “sentence,” and it is still unclear when and in what form. Meanwhile, some drivers have opposed this new regulation, including Lewis Hamilton, who advised his colleague to boycott this “joke,” as he called the penalty.
This isn’t the first time Max Verstappen has had to do community service: the last instance dates back to 2018, though swearing wasn’t involved. During the Brazilian GP, the Dutchman and Esteban Ocon collided on track; a harsh incident that cost the Red Bull driver dearly, as he lost his advantage over Lewis Hamilton, while Kimi Raikkonen took advantage to finish third and secure the last podium of his career.
At the end of the race, cameras captured a visibly furious Max Verstappen approaching Ocon in parc fermé. The two started arguing, and in one frame, the Red Bull driver was seen shoving the Frenchman several times.
The FIA decided to punish Max Verstappen by adopting an “educational and informative” approach. The Dutchman had to participate in the two days of the 2019 Formula E Marrakech E-Prix as an observer for the stewards, and later joined a seminar of the FIA International Stewards Programme.
The event allowed Max Verstappen to see firsthand the work of race stewards and understand how they choose to assign penalties in various on-track incidents. It was an educational experience that helped the young Dutchman – who was 21 at the time – gain a better understanding of the stewards’ role.
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