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Max Verstappen has been instructed to undertake "work of public interest" as a punishment for the language he used during Thursday's Formula 1 drivers' press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.
The Singapore GP stewards said this related to Verstappen's description of his car during the Azerbaijan GP weekend, where he was outqualified for the first time in 2024 by team-mate Sergio Perez and finished a distant fifth.
Verstappen swore during that description, which prompted an apology from FIA press conference host Tom Clarkson.
"As soon as I went into qualifying, I knew the car was f***ed," Verstappen said while speaking about his tricky Baku weekend.
This was deemed to be a breach of Article 12.2.1.k of the international sporting code, relating to "any misconduct".
The stewards said it was FIA policy to "ensure that language used in its public forums, such as press conferences, meets generally accepted standards for all audiences and broadcasts", particularly with regard to statements made by drivers and team representatives with the consideration that they are "role models both inside and outside the sport".
They said the language Verstappen used was "generally considered 'coarse, rude' or may 'cause offence' and is not considered suitable for broadcast", therefore meeting the criteria for misconduct as outlined in the pertaining Article 12.2.1.k.
Previous examples cited by the stewards included the team bosses' press conference at the Las Vegas GP in 2023, where Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff and Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur were handed warnings for the language they used after a loose drain cover destroyed Carlos Sainz's Ferrari, as well as the "significant fines" that have been awarded for "language offensive to or
directed at specific groups".
The stewards acknowledged Verstappen's language had not been directed at any person or group in particular, but because the topic of misconduct had been raised previously and "is well known by the competitors" they determined a greater penalty than previously (ie in the case of Wolff and Vasseur) was necessary - hence the decision to ensure Verstappen be "obliged to accomplish some work of public interest".
This appears to be equivalent to community service work.
It comes on the same weekend where FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem suggested F1 is going to limit the amount of bad language that is broadcast, a subject on which Verstappen also spoke during the press conference.
"I think you will swear anyway. If it's not in this room maybe somewhere else. Everyone swears," Verstappen said. "Some people a bit more than others. It also depends a bit on what language you speak.
"Of course, abuse is something else.
"A lot of things get broadcast nowadays where in other sports you don't run around with a mic attached to you. A lot of people say a lot of bad things when they are full of adrenaline in other sports, it just doesn't get picked up. Where here, probably also for entertainment purposes, things get sent out and that's where people can pick up on it, discuss it on social media and you get all sorts of trouble.
"It already just starts with not broadcasting it. If you don't broadcast it, no one will know. Only the team, but with that you deal internally with these kind of things. It's just probably a bit the world that we live in, within the sport but also in general it seems like people are a bit more sensitive to stuff.
"That's how it goes. I guess the world is changing a bit, but I think it already just starts with not broadcasting it or not giving the option for people to hear it in general. Of course, there are a lot of apps where people can listen to radios and stuff.
"You have to probably limit it or have a bit of a delay that you can censor out a few things. That will help a lot more than putting bans on drivers because for example, I couldn't even say the F-word. It's not even that bad, right?
"The car was not working, the car is F'd, yeah. And then, excuse me for the language but come on, what are we? Five-year-olds, six-year-olds? Even if a five-year-old or six-year-old is watching they will eventually swear anyway even if their parents won't or will not allow it.
"When they grow up they will walk around with their friends and they will be swearing. So you know this is not changing anything."
In a lengthy verdict handing Wolff and Vasseur warnings last year, the stewards said "the FIA regards language of this type to be unacceptable moving forward, particularly when used by participants in the sport who have a high public profile and who are seen by many, especially younger, followers of the sport, as role models, and that in future the FIA will not tolerate the use of such language in FIA forums by any stakeholder".
