F1 News: Guenther Steiner Reacts to Max Verstappen Swearing Controversy

Alex Harrington | 21 Hours Ago

Feb 14, 2008; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; Red Bull Racing official Guenther Steiner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage area during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Guenther Steiner has weighed in on the recent controversy surrounding Max Verstappen's punishment for swearing during a press conference. Verstappen was handed a community service penalty by the FIA after describing the state of his RB20 as “f*****” at the Singapore Grand Prix.

Several notable figures in the sport have voiced their opinions on the matter. Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris spoke out against the FIA’s decision, arguing that the punishment seemed excessive. Verstappen himself expressed his frustration through various protests. However, Steiner's comments have perhaps been the most detailed, reflecting his deep understanding of the sport’s culture and its regulations.

"I think it's a bit of a joke, to be honest. This is the pinnacle of the sport. Mistakes are made. I certainly wouldn't be doing it [serving the punishment], and I hope Max doesn't do it," Hamilton said.

"I think it's pretty unfair. I don't agree with any of it," Lando added.

Speaking on the Red Flags podcast, Steiner defended Verstappen

“You have never heard me cursing in a press conference, or anything like this,” he began, distinguishing his own behavior from Verstappen's. However, Steiner didn’t shy away from supporting the Red Bull driver. “I don’t think it’s exaggerated, what was done. Max explained the situation about his car, not about a person,” he said.

Steiner elaborated further on this point, suggesting that while Verstappen could have chosen different words, his choice of terminology was not unprecedented in the sport.

“Are there other words he could have chosen? Yes. He said terminology which is used a lot. Yes. Maybe it isn’t right. But is it wrong? Maybe also not,” he stated. He ultimately finds himself “very much on the fence” regarding the situation.

He went on to highlight the intense environment in which drivers operate, where high adrenaline levels can often lead to such outbursts.

“In the race, on the radio, I can fully understand it because the adrenaline is high. What you say there, you don’t mean it. You don’t take it home with you,” Steiner explained.

The Haas team principal also commented on how Formula 1 handles swearing on broadcasts, indicating that the sport's regulatory body might have overreacted.

“F1 is very good at bleeping it out. They bleep out two words. I don’t think it was necessary to make such a big thing out of it,” Steiner remarked.

Adding to the context, Steiner drew a parallel with another controversial FIA directive about jewellery, which had previously caused irritation among drivers, notably Hamilton. Comparing the two situations, Steiner said:

“For me, it’s very similar with the jewellery. We are in 2024. That is what I try to recognise. Somebody wearing an earring? Could I care less?”