F1’s Most Notorious “Foul Mouth” Speaks Out on FIA Swearing Controversy
Guenther Steiner has opposed the decision to punish Max Verstappen for swearing during a press conference.
The Red Bull driver was sanctioned with community service hours after describing his RB20 as “f****d” during a press briefing in Singapore.
Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris challenged the FIA’s decision to penalize Verstappen, who visibly expressed his displeasure.
The former Haas team principal, Steiner, was once famous for his colorful language, particularly due to his appearances in Netflix’s Drive To Survive.
However, he stated on the Red Flags podcast: “You have never heard me cursing in a press conference or anything like that.”
Nonetheless, he defended Verstappen.
“I don’t think what he did was exaggerated. Max explained the situation regarding his car, not about a person,” Steiner asserted.
He also added, “Were there other words he could have chosen? Yes. Did he use language that is often heard? Yes. Was it appropriate? Maybe not. But was it completely out of line? Maybe not either.”
Steiner mentioned the adrenaline of racing, which can sometimes explain such language slips: “In the race, on the radio, I can fully understand. The adrenaline is high; what you say there, you don’t really mean it. You don’t take it home with you.”
Steiner also recalled another controversial FIA directive that imposed sanctions on drivers wearing jewelry in the paddock, which had upset Hamilton. For him, this issue is comparable to the swearing controversy.
