When Max Verstappen dropped the F-bomb in the Singapore GP presser last year, the FIA decided that they had had enough of the Dutchman’s disdain for rules. They penalized him, ordering him to undergo community service to learn from his mistakes.
Since then, their clampdown on swearing has been a huge topic of debate. Most experts and fellow drivers have sided with Verstappen, calling the FIA’s stance against swearing a bit too harsh.
The Red Bull driver, however, chose not to elaborate on the incident, wary of potential repercussions. “You have to be very careful with what you say. It shows,” he remarked ahead of the F175 launch event in London when asked about the new punishments, which could see drivers get fined up to $125k for swearing.
Yet when the topic resurfaced during the event, Verstappen didn’t hold back, making his stance clear and firmly criticizing the governing body’s actions.
“I think in general it’s a bit extreme. I don’t think it’s necessary,” the 27-year-old told Viaplay, before insisting that he would rather have the FIA focus more on things that truly matter to better the sport.
max about the sanctions for swearing on viaplay:
“i think in general it’s a bit extreme. i don’t think it’s necessary and i’d rather have that we invest this time in other things in the sport, whether that is safety or how we can build better cars, things like that. i think it’s… pic.twitter.com/RcWHNjLszP
— nini (@SCUDERIAFEMBOY) February 19, 2025
“I’d rather have that we invest this time in other things in the sport, whether that is safety or how we can build better cars, things like that,” Verstappen added. “I think it’s better to invest your time into that.”
Thankfully for Verstappen, he wasn’t the only one at the F175 event to speak out against the FIA’s crackdown on swearing.
Verstappen finds support from Gordon Ramsay
Ramsay knows a thing or two about swearing. The Briton, famous for his outbursts on cooking shows, believes it’s natural for high-performance athletes to speak their minds in the heat of the moment.
“These athletes push themselves to the extreme, so sometimes when it comes out, let them be real, let it go,” he said at the F1-75 event.
gordon ramsey on the fia swearing ban:
“it’s industry language. let them be real.”
— may ¹⁶⁵⁵ | mourning c² (@maymooius) February 18, 2025
However, the FIA likely didn’t want Ramsay’s full message to be broadcast. As he continued speaking and uttered the word sh*t, his microphone suddenly cut out. It was a funny moment but also underscored the FIA’s strict stance on censoring swear words.
Yuki Tsunoda, too, joked about the swearing clampdown. Instead of using the traditional F-word, he said, “I’ll try not to fudge up,” when asked about the FIA’s punishments.
