Red Bull driver Max Verstappen admitted to cursing in front of adults while discussing the FIA’s policy on swearing. During the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, a conflict arose between a Dutch driver and the sport’s governing body over using a swear term. He served his FIA punishment for swearing at the Singapore Grand Prix in October, just before officially becoming the F1 world champion for the fourth year.
Former F1 driver and race steward Johnny Herbert criticised Verstappen for swearing, stating that he would not want his “five-year-old grandchildren” to watch the sport with such language. During a press conference in Singapore, the Dutchman used an expletive to disparage his Red Bull’s performance in the last grand prix in Azerbaijan a week earlier. Verstappen was told to “accomplish some work of public interest.”
He did this in Rwanda on a Friday while attending a racing grassroots development project for young drivers and engineers. Despite winning only two of the last 14 races and three Sprints, Max Verstappen maintained his lead over Lando Norris with steady on-track performance, while driving a less powerful car. Verstappen won his fourth championship in a row with a 63-point lead and 437 points at the end of the year.
FIA Targeting Verstappen Over Swearing
While Red Bull lost the Constructors Championship to the Woking-based team and Ferrari. The Dutch racer clinched the title with two rounds remaining at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. He built an unassailable advantage over McLaren’s Lando Norris. Norris, who helped McLaren secure their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998, collected his award for finishing runner-up.
Speaking with ViaPlay, Max Verstappen said, That’s something I don’t like about F1. Of course, I understand that you can’t swear in a press conference, but it was an expression that came out very quickly. We all grew up like that, people sat there too. And some people say: ‘My five-year-old grandson is watching this too. When I was five years old, I was also sitting among adults and swearing. You want to behave harshly like a child towards others. That’s part of it.
