Max Verstappen slapped with community service punishment after Singapore GP rule breach | F1 | Sport
Max Verstappen has been ordered to do community service after swearing during a recent press conference.
The Red Bull star is in Singapore ahead of this weekend’s race around the Marina Bay Circuit.
But his preparations for what could prove to be a crucial race in the Drivers’ Championship title race have already taken a blow.
It was revealed on Friday afternoon that Verstappen would be forced to do “some work of public interest” for using foul language in an interview.
Speaking during a press conference ahead of this weekend’s race, Verstappen described his car as being “f****d” from set-up changes during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The host of the event, Tom Clarkson, quickly reminded Verstappen that swearing wasn’t allowed – a comment that appeared to put a bee in the Dutchman’s bonnet.
The reigning world champion replied: “Excuse me for the language but come on. What are we? Five-year-olds? Six-year-olds?”
It’s a stunt that saw him breach Article 12.2.1.k of the International Sporting Code – language used during the FIA press conference.
It comes amid an ongoing battle being led by FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who is looking to clamp down on drivers’ colourful language during races.
He recently said in an interview with Motorsport.com: “I mean, we have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music. We’re not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That’s them and we are [us].”
The Emirati official continued: “We are the ones who actually approved more talk [on the broadcast]. But we have rules, and the rules are there for the benefit of the sport and the rules are there to be policed and to be respected also.”
The comments sparked a reaction out of Verstappen’s fellow F1 stars, most notably Lewis Hamilton, who accused Ben Sulayem of adding a “racial element”.
On the claims, Hamilton replied: “I don’t like how he’s expressed it.”
“Saying ‘rappers’ is very stereotypical and if you think about it, most rappers are black. So really pointed it towards we’re not like them.
“So I think that was the wrong choice of words. There’s a racial element there.”
Practice in Singapore continues on Friday afternoon, before qualifying gets underway on Saturday, with the race itself scheduled in for 1pm BST on Sunday.
