Ahead of their discussion with the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) regarding the recent controversy surrounding Max Verstappen’s use of expletives, Formula One drivers have unified their stand. This controversy, which featured predominantly during the Singapore Grand Prix, has resulted in a general discontent towards the sports’ official authority.
Alex Wurz, the chair of the Grand Prix Driver’s Association (GPDA), finds Verstappen’s penalty too harsh. He states that a common agreement will be reached among the organisation, which they would then present to the FIA.
The dispute initiated after Verstappen used profanity during a media gathering before the race weekend at Marina Bay, submerging the actual race in controversy. Prior to the race, FIA’s president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, had articulated his expectations of drivers to limit their usage of foul language. Nonetheless, Verstappen continued to swear during the FIA’s Thursday press conference, leading to him getting a day of community service as retribution.
In a show of protest, Verstappen mostly refrained from responding to questions in subsequent media meetings, and instead interacted with journalists outside of the FIA’s jurisdiction, where he was more conversational.
Following Sunday’s race, where he secured second place behind McLaren’s Lando Norris, Verstappen cautioned that his irritation at the FIA’s “ridiculous” approach has made him deliberate over his future in the sport. Norris and Lewis Hamilton, among other renowned drivers, have publicly backed Verstappen’s criticism of the FIA’s stand and the punishment handed to him.
Verstappen revealed on Sunday that he garnered substantial support from the GPDA’s members, after he shared his views on the group’s WhatsApp platform. He explained, “I posted about the verdict in the GPDA chat, and almost everyone responded with amusement as if questioning ‘What on Earth is that?’ Basically, it’s utterly ridiculous.”
Wurz has communicated his support for the former Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner, commending him for his open and lively use of swear words. He has become a significant figure in the sport largely due to this reason. The Netflix programme, Drive to Survive, contributed widely to the growth of F1’s recognition by capitalising on Steiner’s vibrant dialect in the series.
According to Wurz, on Formel1.de, Steiner was celebrated even though he used the F word constantly. Netflix aired this globally without any issues. Yet now, everything has dramatically changed.
The FIA and Ben Sulayem didn’t comment on the recent Verstappen scenario or the demonstrations during the race weekend. The penalty was administered by the Singaporean authorities. Interestingly, Norris also used a swear word in Marina Bay’s cool-down room immediately after the race, yet he hasn’t been reproached.
Wurz verified that he and the other drivers are planning to push this issue forward to seek resolution. He stated that drivers should be allowed some freedom of expression, excluding any offensive or discriminatory words. He adds that everyone has greatly improved in this regard. In Wurz’s opinion, this penalty is exceptionally harsh.
Before moving forward, an internal discussion is inevitable to reach a full agreement. Following that, a dialogue with the FIA and the president regarding the course of action will be considered.