General
FIA look foolish in battle with Verstappen: 'Ben Sulayem can't win this'
- Ludo van Denderen
Lewis Hamilton didn't need to think about it for long. He advised Max Verstappen not to serve the community service penalty imposed on the Dutchman for using the word 'f***ed' in a press conference. The former World Champion said he wouldn't do it himself. So even his biggest rival fully backed the Red Bull Racing driver, but there is one party that, for now, insists on the punishment: the FIA. Why is the motorsport federation letting this incident get out of hand?
He said almost nothing. During press conferences after qualifying and the Singapore Grand Prix, Max Verstappen stuck to meaningless, short answers. The Red Bull driver cynically said he had a problem with his voice. He simply did not want to run the risk of saying something again that would rub the stewards and the FIA the wrong way, risking another penalty.
After the official press conferences, Verstappen held his own meetings with the media. In these, he was very clear about what he thought of the penalty for using a swear word, which is standard in the Netherlands but apparently not in conservative Britain (where F1 is most deeply rooted) and the United Arab Emirates (where chairman Mohammed Ben Sulayem comes from).
FIA stands by its position
Friends and foe alike now agree that Verstappen's punishment is disproportionate. Even British analysts, who detest Verstappen for saying a swear word, think this is a step too far. Only the FIA apparently stands by its position. At least, that is the presumption because the federation has been silent since the start and the huge outcry that followed. Even the normally outspoken Ben Sulayem has not been heard from.
The best the FIA can do is publicly say, 'Max, we have reconsidered. We withdraw that penalty, but please watch your language in the future.' But Ben Sulayem is not doing so for the time being, as such a stance would (rightly) be seen by the outside world as a defeat for the proud Emirati.
If one thing has become clear in recent years with Ben Sulayem at the helm, it is that, above all, he wants to be seen as a big, strong leader. Someone who always prides himself on having the best interests of the sport at heart while regularly doing just the opposite (see the investigation into the Wolff family or the drafting of an application procedure for new F1 teams on his own).
Is the FIA thinking in the best interests of the sport?
And so now there is the controversy with Verstappen. Initially, it was to ban swearing, but in reality, Ben Sulayem's use of this absurd situation created by the FIA only encourages the current best driver to think out loud about retiring from Formula 1 early. Is that in the best interests of the sport? The other 19 drivers backed and supported Verstappen, thus forming one block against Ben Sulayem and the FIA. Is that in the interest of the sport?
Ultimately, the FIA will not avoid revoking Verstappen's penalty; that's how much pressure there is from public opinion and the drivers. The longer Ben Sulayem waits to do so, the greater the loss of face for the president of the motorsport federation. If the president persists, no one should be surprised when Verstappen follows Hamilton's advice.