Max Verstappen, the Formula 1 champion, was fined on Friday for using foul language during a press conference when he opposed tighter laws on drivers using foul language.
Verstappen was ordered by stewards ruling for the FIA, the sport’s governing body, to “accomplish some work of public interest.” It is up to the FIA to determine exactly what it entails.
Verstappen used a profanity on Thursday when discussing his car’s qualifying performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which was held the week before, in advance of the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Dutch driver said the word was “ordinary in speech as he learned it, English not being his native language,” according to the stewards’ decision on Friday. Verstappen was commended by the stewards for being a role model and for being “mindful when speaking in public forums.”
Verstappen protested against “putting bans on drivers” for using profanity during the same news conference. According to him, broadcasters should decide whether to play drivers’ radio messages during races if they contained profanity.
“You don’t run about with a microphone connected when you play other sports. “I believe that many people say hurtful things when they are ecstatic about other sports; it just doesn’t get noticed,” he remarked.
The decision was made in response to criticism of the quantity of profanity from FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who stated on the motorsport.com website that “we have to differentiate between our sport — motorsport — and rap music.”
Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time winner, chastised Ben Sulayem for using “stereotypical” words regarding rappers who had a “racial element.”
(AP)
