Bottas defends long-time 'habit' after FIA clampdown

Valtteri Bottas believes it is hard for F1 drivers not to use swear words as it is a "habit" founded in their younger careers. 

Over the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, the use of swear words by drivers was picked up on by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who is keen to see a reduction in the number of messages featuring profanities being broadcast by F1. 

Hours after his comments were made public, three-time F1 champion Max Verstappen used the word "f****d" in an official FIA press conference to describe the performance of his car in qualifying for the preceding event in Azerbaijan.

After being summoned to the stewards, Verstappen was effectively handed a community service punishment before protesting in the post-qualifying session and then holding an impromptu media huddle in the paddock.

Lewis Hamilton described the sanction as a "joke" and urged Verstappen to boycott the penalty.

Hamilton's former Mercedes team-mate Bottas, a driver who has used profanities on the radio in the past, has defended drivers who do swear.

"It is tricky because drivers should be an example in the way that they behave," Bottas explained when asked by RacingNews365 for his take on swearing.

"But in the end, we're still humans and we've grown up at race tracks all our lives. 

"There are some common words we use, get used to using, and normally people don't take them as offensive. 

"It is tricky to correct that if it is your habit, but I think it is quite personal as well. We will get used to it. It is what it is. 

"We will speak about it, no doubt, and let's see how we go."