September 20th 2024.
Max Verstappen, the talented Formula One driver, recently found himself in a bit of trouble. During a press conference, he let out a swear word in frustration and was penalized for it. This incident only added to the pressure he's been feeling as Lando Norris closes in on the championship title. It's safe to say Verstappen did not need any distractions off the track.
Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened as Verstappen's comment caught the attention of the FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who had earlier expressed his concern over the use of foul language by drivers during race weekends. This request was met with criticism from other drivers on the grid. However, the FIA took it seriously and called Verstappen to report to the stewards on Friday.
The FIA's statement mentioned their policy to maintain a certain standard of language in public forums such as press conferences. Verstappen's words were considered to be coarse, rude, and potentially offensive for broadcast. This was not the first time Verstappen had been penalized for his language, as he had received a similar punishment in 2018 for an altercation with another driver.
In this case, the stewards decided to order a greater penalty due to the repeated nature of the offense. Verstappen was given community service to be completed for the FIA. This was not received well by the 26-year-old driver, who had already served a similar punishment in the past. He expressed his frustration but also made it clear that he did not want to waste his energy on this matter.
Moving on to matters on the track, it was not a great day for Verstappen and his team Red Bull. They were behind their rivals, McLaren and Ferrari, by a significant margin during the practice sessions in Singapore. Verstappen was over a second slower than Norris, which is a cause for concern for the team.
Despite the off-track distractions, Verstappen remains focused on his performance on the track. He will have to complete his community service, possibly through a virtual conference, but he knows that his main priority is to deliver results for his team. As for the incident, he believes it's best not to dwell on it and move on to the next race.
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