Welcome at RacingNews365

Become part of the largest racing community in the United Kingdom. Create your free account now!

  • Share your thoughts and opinions about F1
  • Win fantastic prizes
  • Get access to our premium content
  • Take advantage of more exclusive benefits
Sign in
Christian Horner

Horner uses Royal family to defend Verstappen in FIA swearing controversy

Christian Horner has used a member of the British Royal Family to aid Max Verstappen.

Verstappen Horner Singapore
Article
To news overview © Red Bull Content Pool

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes the FIA could have dealt with Max Verstappen's swearing controversy "slightly differently".

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is keen to see a reduction of swearing by F1 drivers and wants broadcaster FOM to limit the number of radio transmissions featuring profanities on the world feed.

During the Thursday drivers' press conference, Verstappen used the word "f****d" to describe his Red Bull after set-up changes made before qualifying the week before in Azerbaijan, which earned a trip to the stewards for a possible breach of the International Sporting Code. 

The three-time F1 champion was found guilty and subsequently handed community service. He staged a protest by refusing to fully answer questions in the post-qualifying press conference, instead staging an impromptu media huddle in the paddock.

Verstappen did so again after the race where he revealed the situation could make him quit F1 early. 

Horner felt a different approach from the FIA could have worked, and pointed to the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as an example. 

"I think Max has made his feelings clear on it," Horner told media including RacingNews365. "Of course, all these drivers are role models, but language that's used in everyday life, I think it would have been perhaps better dealt with slightly differently

"It would have avoided any awkwardness.

"He is a driver for whom English is not his native tongue, and we've seen members of the Royal Family telling photographers to 'take a f***ing photo,' so reactions need to be relative."

Also interesting:

Join RacingNews365's Ian Parkes, Sam Coop and Nick Golding, as they look back on last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix. Max Verstappen's punishment for swearing and Daniel Ricciardo's likely last F1 race are major talking points.

Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!

We're giving away no less than 10 scale models and 10 caps among our YouTube subscribers! Enter now for a chance to win one of these prizes by subscribing to our YouTube channel and commenting under the video using the button below.

Subscribe, comment & win

Join the conversation!

x
LATEST Red Bull profits shrink despite record-breaking year