Verstappen Critiques FIA’s Foul Language Crackdown: “Are We Five-Year-Olds?” – F1 Champion Challenges Radio Swear Ban

Max Verstappen questions F1 radio profanity restriction: "Are we toddlers?"

F1 champion Max Verstappen responds to FIA's efforts to curb swearing over team radio communications.

Max Verstappen from Red Bull has shared his opinion on FIA's efforts to eliminate profanity over F1 team radio.

Before the Singapore Grand Prix taking place this weekend, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of the FIA, has requested that Formula One Management (FOM) reduce the frequency of profanity aired on TV, according to Motorsport.

Sulayem is reported to have expressed his preference against Formula 1 drivers adopting a “rappers” tone while communicating over the team radio.

During the FIA press conference on Thursday, Verstappen described his car's condition as "f****d" at the previous weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, leading the host, Tom Clarkson, to extend an apology for the world champion's choice of words.

In response to a question about regulating the use of profanity, the individual from the Netherlands suggested, "It seems the world is evolving somewhat, however, I believe the initial step should be to avoid airing it or simply not providing an opportunity for it to be heard widely."

Certainly, numerous applications allow users to stream radio broadcasts and similar content. It might be necessary to impose certain restrictions or introduce a slight delay, enabling the filtration of specific content. This approach could be significantly more effective than imposing prohibitions on drivers. For instance, I found myself unable to use profanity, such as the f-word, which, in the grand scheme of things, isn't terribly severe, right?

To put it simply, the car was malfunctioning, completely broken, to be honest. And pardon my choice of words, but really, are we behaving like we're in kindergarten?

"Regardless of whether it's a five or six-year-old viewing, the reality remains that they're likely to use swear words in the future, regardless of their parents' approval or restrictions. As they age, the influence of their peer group will increase, and cursing will become a part of their conversations. So, this isn't really altering any outcomes."

Lando Norris, who is competing against Verstappen for the championship, concurred, noting, "We're simply the ones caught up in the intensity of the situation, facing stress, pressure, and engaging in battles, experiencing significant accidents.

"They find it simpler to express than for us to execute, as we are the ones truly competing, pouring our entire selves into the race and giving everything we've got."

"Our pulses are racing. We're channeling all our enthusiasm and affection into this. Naturally, there might be some harsh words as a result, but it's merely a reflection of our effort, our desire to excel, and the disappointment we experience when outcomes don't align with our expectations."

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