P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen hopes that “common sense” prevails with the FIA’s clampdown on swearing in Formula 1.
Last year, the Dutchman was the first victim of the FIA’s crack down on offensive language in press conferences after he used an expletive before the Singapore Grand Prix. The resulting punishment of community service led Verstappen to observe a vow of silence for the remaining press conferences in Singapore as a response to the censorship. FIA then implemented stricter fines, like €40,000 for the first swear and the possibility of a race ban for three or more offenses. Despite this, there was a precedent when Dan Ticktum’s radio outburst in Jeddah went unpunished. Verstappen initially avoided commenting on the issue but later expressed his belief that the focus should be on improving safety and F1 performance instead of such regulations. He emphasized that the severity of penalties for swearing is excessive, and if approached by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, he is willing to share his opinion. Ultimately, fines for swearing have already been imposed in the World Rally Championship, with Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux being fined €10,000.
