Following his recent swearing at a press conference, Max Verstappen was given a community service order.
Ahead of this weekend’s race around the Marina Bay Circuit, the Red Bull star is in Singapore.
However, he’s already suffered a setback to his plans for what might turn out to be a pivotal race in the Drivers’ Championship championship race.
Verstappen’s sentence for using profanity during an interview was made public on Friday afternoon.
Verstappen called his car “f****d” after set-up changes during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix during a press conference held in advance of this weekend’s competition.
Tom Clarkson, the event host, promptly reminded Verstappen that using foul language was prohibited, a remark that seemed to sting the Dutchman.
In response, the current world champion said, “Pardon my language, but come on. Who are we? Five-year-olds? Six-year-olds?”
He violated Article 12.2.1.k of the International Sporting Code with this stunt, according to the language used at the FIA press conference.
It coincides with an ongoing conflict headed by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the chief of the FIA, over drivers’ use of profanity during races.
“I mean, we have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music,” he recently stated in an interview with Motorsport.com. You know, we’re not rappers. How many times a minute do they say the F-word? That is not where we are at. We are [us] and that’s them.
“We are the ones who actually approved more talk [on the broadcast],” the Emirati official went on. However, there are regulations in place for the good of the sport, and they must also be followed and obeyed.
Verstappen’s fellow Formula One stars responded to the remarks, Lewis Hamilton foremost among them, accusing Ben Sulayem of introducing a “racial element.”
“I don’t like how he’s expressed it,” Hamilton retorted in response to the allegations.
It’s very stereotyped to refer to rappers as “rappers,” and the majority of rappers are black. Thus, it was clearly indicated that we are not like them.
Therefore, I believe that was a poor word choice. There’s a component of race there.
Practice in Singapore is scheduled to continue on Friday afternoon. On Saturday, qualifying will begin, and on Sunday, the race is scheduled to begin at 1pm BST.
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