Verstappen questions FIA's policies on swearing: "Are we 5-year-olds?"
Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool
Singapore GP – Max Verstappen has voiced his concerns regarding the recent scrutiny over swearing in Formula 1, suggesting that the sport's governing body might be overreacting.
The debate was sparked after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem told motorsport.com that efforts were being made to reduce the amount of bad language broadcasted on television. The Emirati official said that while the onus lies on Formula 1 management to control this, drivers also must take responsibility.
"We're not rappers, you know," Ben Sulayem remarked. "They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. Imagine you are sitting with your children and watching the race and then someone is saying all of this dirty language. I mean, what would your children or grandchildren say? What would you teach them if that is your sport?"
Verstappen, who had just used the contentious "F-word" during an FIA news conference at the Singapore Grand Prix to describe his car's condition, felt the governing body was overstepping.
"Everyone swears, some people a bit more than others," Verstappen acknowledged. "It also depends a bit what language you speak. Of course, abuse is something else ... but I think a lot of things get broadcast nowadays where, in other sports, you don't run around with a mic attached to you."
Verstappen highlighted that in many high-adrenaline sports, foul language is often used but rarely captured due to the lack of live microphones.
"A lot of people say a lot of bad things when they are full of adrenaline in other sports; it just doesn't get picked up. Here, probably also for entertainment purposes, things get sent out," he explained. "It's just probably a bit the world that we live in. ... I think it already just starts with not broadcasting it or not giving the option for people to hear it."
He suggested that managing broadcasts more effectively, such as implementing delays or censoring out inappropriate language, would be far more effective than imposing restrictions on drivers.
Verstappen added, "Of course, there are a lot of apps where people can listen to radios and stuff. You have to probably limit it or have a bit of a delay, that you can censor out a few things. That will help a lot more than putting bans on drivers."
Even though Formula 1 already censors bad language on the global television feed, some drivers have historically used swearing during radio exchanges to prevent sensitive information from being publicly aired.
Verstappen believes the FIA's battle against swearing is somewhat futile.
"Excuse me for the language, but, like, what are we? Five-year-olds? Six-year-olds?" he asked. "Even if a 5-year-old or 6-year-old is watching, I mean, they will eventually swear anyway. Even if the parents won't, or they will not allow it, when they grow up, they will walk around with their friends and they will be swearing.
"So, you know, this is not changing anything."
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