Interview
Steiner doesn't understand FIA in Verstappen case: 'What did we create?'
- Ludo van Denderen
The FIA wanted to make a statement by penalising Max Verstappen for swearing ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, but Guenther Steiner believes the autosport federation have actually achieved the opposite of what were hoping for. "And there's for sure a lot of children now who think it's actually cool to swear," he said.
In his new book Unfiltered - to be published soon, on 10 October - Guenther Steiner uses his catchphrase 'fok' more than once. So it is not at all remarkable that the former Haas F1 team principal thinks the punishment Max Verstappen received for swearing in Singapore is grossly exaggerated. For now, the punishment still stands, even though it is hard to find anyone outside of the FIA who actullay thinks Verstappen should complete the penalty service given to him.
The 20 drivers on the Formula One grid are scheduled to discuss the issue in Austin, on the eve of the US GP. What should the FIA do next, should they back down and apologise to the Verstappen for example? "I think it's too late now to apologise," Steiner said talking exclusively to GPblog. "Then you can clearly see that there is no direction."
'Verstappen is not going to be stubborn'
"I think they should sit down with him (Verstappen) and agree on something, and I don't know what Max is willing to agree on. I don’t know that. I respect Max a lot and he will have a point, and he will not be completely stubborn at everything, if something sensibly is mentioned. As I told you, should anybody swear in a press conference? Not really, but he didn't swear at the person, he made a remark about the car again. Is it right? No. Is it wrong? No."
Steiner would rather see the organisation take a different approach. "Would it not be better just to go to the drivers afterwards say, 'guys tone it down a little bit, stay calm,' instead of 'oh you need a penalty'," said the Italian.
"Children listen to it. Yes. But do you think children never heard the word 'f***'?"
Meanwhile, the whole situation seems to be out of control, Steiner believes. "That's what it is. What did we create? We created a worse situation than the one swearing in the press conference. Now everybody talks about [it]. And do you think children don't listen to that rumours. And there's for sure a lot of children now who think it's actually cool to swear," he concluded.
This article was written in collaboration with Kada Sarkozi
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4 October 2024
