Ex-Haas F1 boss Guenther Steiner SLAMS FIA over Max Verstappen SWEARING row

Max Verstappen

Ex-Haas boss SLAMS FIA over Verstappen SWEARING row

Guenther Steiner had a surprising take on the controversy

Chris Deeley

Monday 14 October 2024 21:00

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has slammed the FIA following their swearing row with Max Verstappen.

The Drive to Survive legend revealed that he wished the FIA had adopted a more measured approach with Verstappen, rather than 'causing controversy'.

Steiner told the i that while he disagreed with the way the punishment was handled by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Verstappen was wrong not to censor himself in front of the press cameras.

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He did go on to admit that swearing is 'not that important' because the majority of children he knows already know swear words, and criticised Ben Sulayem for his reaction to the controversy after the FIA chief complained that the press was against him.

Steiner has been a controversial figure in F1

Verstappen was punished for swearing in a press conference

What did Guenther Steiner say about Max Verstappen swearing?

Verstappen refused to speak at subsequent press conferences, instead addressing the press away from the cameras outside.

Following the controversy, Ben Sulayem has since revealed that he has felt targeted by the British media, and that despite the row he had respect for Verstappen.

“Should you swear at a press conference? No, but he was swearing at the car not people," Steiner said.

"I would have got the guys together and told them to tone it down a bit, be a bit more amicable. Instead of fining them, creating controversy.

Guenther Steiner has criticised the way the FIA dealt with the Verstappen swearing row

“I don’t know many children who don’t know the F-word. It’s not that important. And then you come out and say the British press is against him. I don’t think that is the case. They just commented on what was done. The press is not there to make you look good. That’s not freedom of speech.

“You have to let people have their opinion. I have known Mohammed a long time from rallying. I don’t know what the end goal is. We are talking about issues that are not relevant to the sport. Talking about piercings and the language is not the important stuff. The FIA is there to govern.”

Max Verstappen Daniel Ricciardo FIA Haas Guenther Steiner Mohammed Ben Sulayem