Max Verstappen Criticizes FIA’s Radio Swear Ban: ‘Are We Five-Year-Olds?

Max Verstappen questions the FIA's decision to limit swearing on team radios, asking, "Are we five-year-olds?" The reigning Formula 1 champion expresses his thoughts on the new rule aimed at reducing offensive language during races.

Max Verstappen from Red Bull has shared his opinion on the FIA's initiative to eliminate inappropriate language during F1 team radio communications.

In anticipation of the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has requested that Formula One Management (FOM) reduce the amount of profanity aired on television, according to a report by Motorsport.

Ben Sulayem expressed that he prefers F1 drivers to avoid using language reminiscent of "rappers" when communicating over team radio.

During the FIA press conference on Thursday, Verstappen described his car as "f****d" while discussing the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix. This led the host, Tom Clarkson, to apologize for the world champion's choice of words.

When questioned about his opinion on regulating the use of profanity, the Dutchman responded, "I suppose the world is evolving somewhat, but I believe it begins with simply not airing it or removing the opportunity for the public to hear it at all."

Naturally, many applications allow users to listen to radio broadcasts and similar content. It might be necessary to impose some restrictions or introduce a slight delay to filter out certain words or phrases. This approach would be far more effective than penalizing drivers, as even mild expletives like the f-word are often considered trivial.

"The car was broken, totally messed up. Pardon my language, but seriously, are we acting like little kids here?"

"Regardless of whether a five or six-year-old is watching, they will end up swearing at some point, even if their parents don't permit it. As they get older and spend time with their friends, they will start swearing. So, in reality, this doesn't make any difference."

Verstappen's competitor for the championship, Lando Norris, concurred, stating: “We are simply individuals caught in intense situations, experiencing stress, pressure, and engaging in fierce battles, sometimes resulting in major accidents.”

"It's much simpler for them to suggest than for us to execute because we are out there investing our emotions and efforts, striving to compete and giving everything we've got."

"Our hearts are racing. We're pouring our passion and love into this. Naturally, some strong language might slip out, but that's only because we're striving to do our best and feel frustrated when things don't go as planned."

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