Red Bull mechanic Nicholas: 'We really don't think Max is mean!'
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There is currently a lot of talk within Formula 1 about the language used by drivers. Some people, including FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, think there is no place for the use of swearing. But Red Bull Racing mechanic Calum Nicholas does not think it is all that bad, stressing that it is not the responsibility of the drivers to be role models to younger viewers but the parents themselves to teach their children what language is appropriate or inappropriate in certain situations.
Nicholas is not fussed about language from drivers
During the 2024 F1 season, Max Verstappen complained several times about the feeling in the RB20. Although Nicholas plays an important role in building and tuning the car as a mechanic, he takes nothing personally. "We hear drivers on the radio in the midst of the race, in the midst of the battle and their language can be colourful, I think the important thing to remember is that they really are operating in that window where they are under a great deal of pressure," he explained in a conversation with talkSPORT.
"We never sit in the garage and hear those comments and think to ourselves, 'Oh, I can't believe he is being mean to us.' That is not really the nature of the people who work in the sport."
Nicholas: 'Parents themselves are responsible for their children's language'
In the garage, there is some swearing too, Nicholas stresses. "A high-stress environment. But also, when I look at language, you can use it, and it is not an offensive thing. I said the other day, sometimes when people are using colourful language in the garage, there are smiles while they are doing it. It doesn't necessarily tell you the mood, it's just a word," he says.
"I have a six-year-old daughter, and I say to her, 'Look, there is language that is appropriate in some situations and not in others.' I think a lot of times people say, 'These stars, they have a responsibility as role models,' and I say that, for me, as a parent, I think that responsibility is mine to teach my kid what is appropriate in some environment and what is not appropriate in other environments. I think that, as a parent, you should take that responsibility on yourself rather than expect everybody else to be your role model," Nicholas explained.
The Red Bull mechanic also touched on the importance of the bond between drivers and their technical team. "Drivers and engineers and us in the garages, it is a real relationship built on trust. We are in a fortunate position with our drivers. We know that with Max, if we deliver him the car that he needs, he will deliver the results. That's very much what it is. The pressure is there, but it is an internalised pressure. More than anything, it is from ourselves. We are our own biggest critics," Nicholas concludes.
This article was written in collaboration with Olly Darcy
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