Ex-F1 driver blames biased handling of Max Verstappen swearing saga
Juan Pablo Montoya took a dig at the people treating Max Verstappen as a 'terrible' person for swearing at the Singapore GP weekend.
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Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Max Verstappen (via IMAGO)
Max Verstappen had a fallout with the FIA in 2024 after swearing during a press conference. The Dutchman received a community service penalty. The 27-year-old finished the formalities despite berating the penalty on multiple occasions. Ex-F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya berated the way the FIA handled the issues against Verstappen over the season.
Max Verstappen‘s swearing saga at the Singapore GP was followed by Charles Leclerc‘s swearing on the team radio during the Mexican GP. A majority of the people shrugged off Leclerc’s situation while Verstappen faced major backlash from the community. Hence, Juan Pablo Montoya reckoned that if it were George Russell instead of the Dutchman, the situation would’ve been different. The Colombian pointed out that everyone treated the 27-year-old as a ‘terrible’ person for swearing.
If it had been George Russell who had sworn, the reaction would’ve been very different compared to if it had been Max. You could hear when Charles did it, everyone shrugged and let it go. When Max did it, everyone treated him like he was a terrible person.
Juan Pablo Montoya told CasinoApps
Verstappen’s community service penalty was to work with the junior drivers at the Rwandan Automobile Club after the 2024 season ended. Montoya believed that this penalty did not directly benefit Formula 1 or the Dutchman. The 49-year-old claimed that the penalties must be ‘fairer’ and provide more benefit to the sport. Moreover, the Colombian highlighted that the driver need not be ‘hindered’ much due to the penalties.
That’s why the penalties would be fairer if they were community service or other things that provide more benefit to the sport without hindering the driver as much.
Juan Pablo Montoya added
Juan Pablo Montoya makes ‘little princess’ remark over FIA’s ban on swear words
The Formula 1 drivers are subjected to extreme conditions while racing on the track. During such moments, swearing is a natural reaction to problems while driving the challenger. Juan Pablo Montoya noted that a driver’s true personality was showcased when they weren’t banned from swearing. Montoya questioned if people wanted to see ‘little princesses’ or ‘rough guys’ fighting out on the track.
Do you want to see drivers’ personalities, or do you want to see little princesses? Do you want to see rough guys being angry, fighting the other guy with passion and love, putting everything on the line?
Juan Pablo Montoya noted
Formula 1 has continued to expand its horizon in recent years with a major influx in viewership. Due to this, the sport wants to control the language to cater to a wider age of audience. However, the drivers will need to channel their frustration while racing on the track. Hence, the FIA and the drivers must find a middle-way to ensure both parties are satisfied.
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Aditya Pandya
(1494 Articles Published)