Max Verstappen says that the result of the swearing row at last round’s Singapore Grand Prix remains unsolved, with GPDA director George Russell confirming that the drivers will issue a statement on this matter within next week.
At Thursday’s press conference ahead of the Singapore GP, Verstappen used a swear word to describe his RB20’s performance at the previous event in Baku. The FIA stewards summoned the three-time world champion and handed him F1’s equivalent of community service.
Previously, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in an interview that he wants drivers to swear less, and that they had a responsibility to mind their language.
To protest against his punishment, Verstappen limited his answers to questions from the media. In own media sessions after post-qualifying and post-race press conferences, he gave lengthier answers to journalists. And it seems that this will continue in Austin.
“I haven’t heard anything, so for me it doesn’t really change anything,” said Verstappen in Thursday’s build-up ahead of the United States Grand Prix.
Asked if the FIA approached him yet since Singapore, he said: “No. Nothing”, and adds he is “always open for a chat [with Ben Sulayem] but from my side at the moment, it’s not that I am the one that has to reach out with this stuff. I just live my life. I just continue, nothing changes.
“With the situation. I also prefer of course to talk less, so it’s fine anyway for me,” he quipped.
The Dutchman reiterated his view: “But that’s in general already the world that we live in. A lot of stuff is like that. This particular scenario I think is very unnecessary. Of course I know that you can’t generally swear in context but that’s more I think related to when you insult someone.”
“Then you hear comments, ‘yeah, but you don’t want kids seeing that’. Well, when I was five years old I never watched a press conference in my life anyway.”
“And I think at school you have said way worse things than that, because you grow up with kids and you’re a bit of a rebel. So you always say bad stuff, that’s just how life is. That you want to set an example, I mean, yeah sure, but I don’t think that they should make such a big deal out of it.”
George Russell, director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, confirms that there is a meeting planned with the FIA, potentially at next week’s Mexican Grand Prix. He also says that the drivers will issue a statement soon. From the other drivers, Verstappen received public backing.
“Between the drivers, a lot of us spoke regarding swearing. It does seem a bit silly that it has come to this,” said the Mercedes driver on Thursday. “We are yet to speak to the FIA, but we hope to do so maybe next week or in Mexico.
“Collectively, we are on the same page but next week we will formally put something towards you guys to read from the drivers as a united whole.
“I think generally speaking, we don’t want to be taking away the heat of the moment emotions that drivers show in a race. I think it’s down to maybe the broadcaster or the race if they choose to broadcast that. It’s very challenging for the drivers when you are talking to your team in the middle of the battle.”
In Mercedes’ Thursday press conference, he added: “Equally, if it’s in an environment like this, maybe we have a duty to be conscious with our words.”
Formula 1 returns to Austin, after a lengthy break following the Singapore Grand Prix. Max Verstappen remains the championship leading driver, ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris.
