Martin Brundle tells Max Verstappen the unnecessary step he’s taking in FIA swearing row

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There’s never a dull day in the Formula 1 paddock and the conclusion of qualifying for the Singapore Grand Prix was no exception.

In fact, thanks to Red Bull driver Max Verstappen, the paddock in Singapore was much busier than usual at the end of a session.

Verstappen put in a sensational lap in Q3 and managed to secure a place on the front row of the grid alongside title challenger Lando Norris.

It meant Verstappen had to take part in the FIA press conference alongside Norris and Lewis Hamilton but very much kept his feelings to himself.

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That’s because FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem asked F1 drivers to keep swearing to a minimum but while describing his Red Bull’s performance in Baku, Verstappen let one swear word slip.

As a result, Verstappen has been ordered to undertake F1’s version of community service, but all the drivers including Verstappen are unhappy with his treatment.

Verstappen therefore held an impromptu press conference between his initial interview and the media pen on Saturday.

Martin Brundle tells Max Verstappen that his initial swearing was unnecessary

Speaking on Sky Sports F1 ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, Martin Brundle gave his thoughts on the situation.

Asked about the statement from the FIA president and Verstappen’s reaction, Brundle said: “Unfortunate words [from Mohammed Ben Sulayem] for me, it’s all a storm in a teacup and churlish all around to be honest and I kind of don’t want to waste my heartbeats talking about it too much.

“But we’re all aligned on this, actually. I think the drivers should get together through the GPDA, Grand Prix Drivers Association, and they should think about…they represent themselves, they represent their families, their countries.

“They represent their amazing teams in the paddock, global sponsors, broadcasters and they know full well because they see them, they sign the caps, they see them in the fan zones.

“A lot of youngsters are following Formula One, especially these days, and I think they have a responsibility to control their swearing.

“Of course, in the heat of the moment, it happens, many of us swear like that.

“But gratuitous swearing, I don’t think is necessary, and it doesn’t look good for them.”

Nico Rosberg then asked Brundle if he ever swore in his time and replied: “Well, thank you for asking, I would never sit in a press conference and swear gratuitously like that, no.

“I think you have to think about your audience.”

Verstappen accused of deliberately swearing during FIA interview

Although English isn’t Verstappen’s first language, he would have been well aware of the nature of his comments during Thursday’s pre-race press conference.

Andrew Benson suggested Verstappen deliberately swore because of Ben Sulayem’s comments although the Dutchman has been well known to use some choice language on his team radio.

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During the Hungarian Grand Prix, Verstappen was furious with his Red Bull team for his strategy and wasn’t subtle when describing his feelings.

However, Verstappen has the support of many of his colleagues, and it’ll be interesting to see if Brundle advice is heeded and the grid comes together to find a solution.