Formula 1: Max Verstappen won’t let the Fia boss shut him up

No, the top language police of Formula 1, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the President of the International Automobile Federation (Fia), really has no objection to this. Lando Norris, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri are sitting in the Cool-down-Room, which rightly bears its name in Singapore, and pass the time until the awards ceremony by watching videos. The scenes in which Norris almost lost his superior third Grand Prix victory due to a careless mistake are shown on the screen. Verstappen is rooting for his friend.

It’s a canon of “Aaahs” and “Ohhs”. The Brit is a little embarrassed, but no one uses the English swear word that is otherwise part of the standard repertoire and often expresses shock rather than an insult. The perfect Formula 1 should be as it actually was for a moment: characterized by appropriate language choices when battling at the limit, exciting in sporting terms and played by real guys. If you want that in principle, however, you have to use the AI ​​and construct a few deep fake racing drivers.

The title fight, in which Norris, the toughest rival, has just nibbled seven points off the lead and in which the lead has shrunk to 52 points with six races to go, is exhausting enough. But after his second place at the Singapore Grand Prix, Max Verstappen has now thrown himself into a fight for power and freedom. His opponent is – after a gag order – the International Automobile Federation. How serious Verstappen really is is shown by a veiled threat of resignation. Formula 1 can make good use of this controversy, it has always thrived on such disputes.

The offence: damaging the values ​​of the FIA. The punishment: Verstappen to perform community service

In the official media rounds after the 18th World Championship race, there was not much to be heard from Max Verstappen on either Saturday or Sunday. He only answered because he had to answer – but remained monosyllabic. It was an almost silent protest against the fact that he had become the first victim of a new campaign by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem before the Grand Prix. The Emirati is annoyed by the racing drivers’ choice of words, the occasional swearing on the pit radio, he misses the role model function. In a British specialist portal, he played language police: “Rappers use the F-word several times a minute. But we are not rappers.”

Verstappen then let slip the English F-word in his analysis of his failing Red Bull racing car. It was a trivial matter. However, the race stewards cited paragraph 12.2.1k of the Sporting Code to justify the use of the strong expression: damaging the values ​​of the FIA ​​and the reputation of motorsport.

Since it was an official interview, Verstappen was given an unspecified amount of community service as punishment. This outraged not only him, but the entire driver community. Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton called the incident a “joke” and recommended that Verstappen not do the hours: “I certainly wouldn’t do it.”

Ben Sulayem is currently trying again to gain respect in Formula 1. So far, this has mostly backfired. This time too, the whole thing sounds like a farce, because the radio messages are often informative, but above all entertaining. And if there is censorship, then the television stations should be held accountable first. Since the radio messages are broadcast with a time delay, the allegedly offensive words are beeped over anyway. Children can overhear more curses unprotected at every German intersection.

“What are we, five or six year olds?

Verstappen therefore immediately appealed to the moderator: “What are we, five or six-year-olds? In other sports, too, people swear when they are under the influence of adrenaline. It’s just that it isn’t broadcast there.” Most recently in Baku, he had already turned the directional microphone of a Netflix team to the side that wanted to eavesdrop on a group of racing drivers standing together casually. The documentary series “Drive to survive” lives from such recordings. Formula 1 is once again balancing on the fine line between sport and show, as it did in 2021 at the scandalous finale, when the discussions with the race director were broadcast live and considerable pressure built up. After the wrong verdict at the time, Lewis Hamilton thought about retiring for weeks.

Verstappen now seems to have reached this point. His anger is not only due to the exertions of the night and the emotions associated with it. He feels unfairly treated and is therefore consciously seeking a power struggle.

Outside the FIA’s jurisdiction, in the paddock under the Ferris wheel, the 26-year-old linked his personal fate to the infringements on freedom of speech: “I am now in a phase of my career where you don’t want to constantly deal with silly things. It is really exhausting. And for me, that is no way to continue to practice the sport. That’s for sure.”

The Red Bull driver, who can become world champion for the fourth time in a row, has previously stressed that he does not want to continue racing forever just to break records – regardless of his contract until the end of 2028. The events in Singapore have apparently led to deep reflection: “When it’s enough, it’s enough. Formula 1 will continue without me, I have no problem with that.” That sounds threatening. But above all, it is a targeted message to the officials and also to Formula 1 management to give the drivers their freedom.

Verstappen, the once-in-a-century talent, knows his exceptional status and wants to use it in this case. Not only for freedom of speech, but also to protect his own character: “If you can no longer say what you want, then it’s better to keep your mouth shut. But then you’re just a robot. Showing emotions is simply part of racing.” Also in the future.