Controversy on and Off the Track: Verstappen’s Language Lands Him in Hot Water

Norris and Verstappen are back on the front row, with Norris taking pole in Singapore and the Mercedes duo of Hamilton and Russell right behind them, filling out the second row. While this lineup would typically dominate the headlines, it’s an incident from Thursday’s FIA drivers’ press conference that has captured the paddock’s attention.

The drama began with a question directed at Verstappen during the press conference, which quickly escalated into a controversy that landed him in the stewards’ room. The question and response that sparked the issue were as follows:

Q: (Roldán Rodriguez – DAZN Spain) “Last weekend, for the first time this season, your teammate was ahead of you in qualifying and in the race until the crash. I’d like to understand, as you guys watch all the telemetry, where he was faster or adapting better to the car, at least in qualifying.”
MV: “I don’t know, man. Different setup. So as soon as I went into qualifying, I knew the car was f—-d.”

Verstappen’s use of profanity prompted an immediate reaction from the FIA. Despite apologizing and explaining that English is his second language and that the word he used is common in his native language, Verstappen was penalized with an unusual punishment: he was “obliged to accomplish some work of public interest,” essentially community service. This punishment has raised questions about consistency, as this is the first time the FIA has imposed such a penalty for swearing.

To put this in context, at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix, both Toto Wolff and Fred Vasseur were issued warnings for using foul language during an FIA press conference when discussing the drain cover incident involving Carlos Sainz’s car. Earlier this year, during qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix, Yuki Tsunoda was fined 40,000 Euros for using an offensive slur towards Zhou Guanyu. And at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, Lance Stroll received a written warning after pushing his trainer, throwing his steering wheel, skipping proper weigh-in procedures, and giving a terse six-word interview. Stroll’s actions were met with a reminder of his responsibilities under the FIA Code of Ethics, but no further penalties were imposed.

Earlier this year, team bosses were instructed by the FIA to tell their drivers to refrain from swearing over the team radios, as some of these conversations are broadcast live. This directive came after Verstappen used strong language while speaking to his race engineer during the Hungarian Grand Prix, expressing frustration with both the car and the team’s strategy. It’s worth noting that this is the second time this year Verstappen has been singled out by the FIA for his language, leading some to wonder if he is being made an example of.

At the FIA post-qualifying press conference on Saturday, Verstappen, possibly feeling the weight of the scrutiny, mentioned that he was having a “problem with my voice,” perhaps a subtle nod to the situation.

So why change the precedent now? And why target Verstappen?