Former F1 driver Karun Chandhok became the latest to share his thoughts on Max Verstappen’s ‘swearing saga’ from the Singapore GP weekend. Unlike the majority, however, he did not take a clear side.
Verstappen was penalized for using the f-word, something the Dutchman did intentionally to protest the FIA’s ban on cursing in front of the media. Chandhok, on the F1 subreddit, insisted that F1 drivers ought to be aware that they are examples to millions of viewers worldwide — many children.
“The drivers are ambassadors of the sport and you don’t want them swearing, and putting off young kids particularly,” Chandhok wrote. At the same time, Chandhok discussed why Verstappen and other drivers often resort to swearing.
He acknowledged that not every driver’s first language is English, which can lead to their expressions being raw and unfiltered when they do speak the language. “I think we want to see characters. We don’t want to see robots. We want to see them wear their heart on their sleeves,” he added.
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Chandhok also stated that the FIA should “not fight this battle,” as it is impractical for drivers from other countries to have translators sitting next to them to interpret everything they say.
Verstappen’s protest on FIA’s punishment
Verstappen knew what he was doing when he used the f-word, and the FIA was not going to let it slide. They imposed a community service punishment, which he (and some other F1 drivers) found ridiculous.
The Red Bull driver continued his protest the day after this incident by refusing to give adequate answers to the media. But since he didn’t use any swear words this time, there wasn’t any reason for the FIA to punish him.
Most of Verstappen’s counterparts supported him, but one driver insisted that he should know how to behave — Fernando Alonso. Alonso, who is the most experienced driver in F1, believes that drivers should understand the fact that they are role models to the next generation. He said,
“When you want to say something that is not correct, you have to hold yourself and be politically correct… So, until you are a driver or you are in the public spotlight, you need to behave properly.”
