After the time of incomprehension and indignation, here is the time for explanations. Two weeks after the Singapore Grand Prix, Johnny Herbert returned to the controversy over the sanction imposed on Max Verstappen on the sidelines of the Singapore round for using an insult during an official session organized by Formula 1 .
The Briton was then among the race commissioners and decided to impose community service on the Dutchman after he used the word “Fucked” to talk about his car during the press conference on Thursday, ahead of the week. -end of race. A decision which follows the desire of Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, to tighten the screws on the language used by the drivers.
A sanction which caused a lot of noise in the paddock: several drivers were indignant at this “censorship” and gave their support to Max Verstappen, while the latter made a spectacle of himself during the other press conferences, responding only very succinctly to questions asked by journalists and by organizing its own mixed zone in the paddock. According to Johnny Herbert, the sanction imposed on the three-time world champion was necessary to set an example and force drivers to reduce their use of swear words in Formula 1.
« A press conference is not the place » to use insults
“At a press conference in Singapore, Max [Verstappen] used the word that starts with an F to talk about his car. Press conferences are broadcast around the world. There are more swear words than there ever werenotes the ex-F1 driver who became a race commissioner in a conference organized with the online gaming site Casino Hawks. A press conference is not the place for that. Some journalists have said that F1 is trying to turn drivers into robots, but that is not the case. We just ask them not to swear, which I think is a good thing. Most drivers don’t swear. »
“The incident was brought to the attention of the commissioners. We had an open discussion with Max for about twenty minutes or half an hour, in a difficult situation. You could see on his face that he was very upset but when he left, he seemed calm about the procedure and its reason for beingconfides the Briton. He did not blame the commissioners. We have a range of sanctions to punish pilots. We are here to apply the rules and make a collective decision. We could have fined him, but we felt it would be more beneficial for him to take him to something socially responsible. It’s up to Max and the FIA to see what that will be. »
Still according to Johnny Herbert, the behavior of Max Verstappen during the other press conferences also added fuel to the fire and fueled the controversy even further. “Then everything blew up because he went to a press conference and only responded in one word, before holding an impromptu press briefing outside in the paddock. This shows Max’s rebellious side. I love this part of him, it’s what makes him Max, his honest and frank character. But there is a time and a place for everything. Personally, I think there are too many bad words. I don’t want my 5 year old grandson to hear that kind of language. »
Herbert highlights the solidarity of the pilots
In Singapore, the pill did not pass neither for Max Verstappen, nor for the other drivers who denounced a ridiculous decision. The controversy also took on another dimension when Mohammed Ben Sulayem compared the language of drivers to that of “rappers”, a comparison which did not please Lewis Hamilton in particular. The Briton notably pointed out a “racial element” in the FIA president’s comments.
« The comments [de Ben Sulayem] were not very well received by the drivers who felt upset, especially Lewis [Hamilton] who felt it was a racial slur. The pilots were not happy, recognizes Johnny Herbert, who nevertheless demonstrates an almost unprecedented solidarity among pilots in the modern era. They all united behind Max. I have noticed that the drivers are much more united than I have seen in many years. Swearing is something Mohammed Ben Sulayem wants to eradicate. I hope common sense will prevail, the drivers and the FIA must work together. »
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