- Max Verstappen was reprimanded ahead of the Singapore GP for swearing
- Verstappen has been supported by drivers after being punished for swearing
- The FIA want to clamp down on swearing to help improve the sport’s image
Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has said that the FIA were wrong to make a big story out of the Max Verstappen swearing incident.
The defending world champion was recently reprimanded ahead of the Singapore GP for swearing during a televised press conference when questioned over his qualifying performance at the previous race.
Verstappen was slapped with a punishment by the FIA equivalent to the sport’s version of community service that is hoped will serve as a deterrent against other future outbursts.
The majority of drivers have supported Verstappen over the incident with those on the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) Whatsapp group believing the sanction is draconian and urged the Dutchman not to fulfil his public service punishment.
Steiner, who became a fan favourite from the Netflix Drive to Survive series where he was also known for using bad language regularly, told the BBC: ‘Max didn’t swear at anybody. He used the f-word about his car.
Guenther Steiner says the FIA were wrong to make a big story out of the Max Verstappen issue
‘So nobody got offended by it, in my opinion. The best way [to handle it] would have been not to make a big story of it. Sit down with the drivers, they have a meeting every weekend, and say: ‘Hey, guys, can you tone it down a little bit? We are the FIA, we don’t really like this.’
‘But don’t say: ‘If you do, you get a fine, a penalty, whatever.’ Because you know these guys, they’ve got an ego as well. And they say: ‘I don’t want to do that.’ And then what do you create? All this controversy – for nothing.’
Steiner did accept that Formula One drivers should temper their language in public forums.
‘You have heard me a lot in press conferences and interviews like this, I don’t swear,’ he said. ‘I swear when I am in the battle. And that’s why I made these comments.
‘When you are in the heat, and adrenaline is going and emotions are going, you do it. When we say, ‘Oh, the children, we have to look after our children.’ But they hear it everywhere. Swearing has changed from what it was 20 years ago to now.
Verstappen was reprimanded before the Singapore GP for swearing during a press conference
‘When you swear at somebody, that’s a different story. But swearing at somebody in the race I understand because you’re doing 350km/h and somebody cuts you off, you’re not saying: ‘Hello, buddy, you shouldn’t be doing this.”
Steiner’s comments come in an interview with BBC Sport marking the release of his new book, Unfiltered, which is based on his 10 years in charge of Haas. He was dismissed last winter after a disagreement with owner Gene Haas.