Max Verstappen claims he’s still the ‘only’ F1 driver to be punished for one offence, but he’s wrong

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Max Verstappen has come under intense scrutiny from the stewards throughout his F1 career. He’s become known as a driver who stretches the regulations to their limits.

During the 2016 season – Verstappen’s first year at Red Bull – his aggressive defending prompted the FIA to clamp down on moving under braking. This became known as ‘the Verstappen rule’.

Now a veteran of well over 200 Grands Prix, he retains the same edge. Verstappen is only on six penalty points right now but he briefly reached 11 earlier in the season, putting him on the brink of a race ban.

But Verstappen has also been investigated for one high-profile off-track offence too.

Max Verstappen says he’s the only F1 driver punished for swearing

At last year’s Singapore GP, Verstappen described his Red Bull car as ‘f—–‘ in a press conference. With FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem toughening up the rules on driver conduct, the world champion was ordered to undertake ‘some work of public interest’.

Verstappen carried out what was effectively the motorsport version of community service when he attended the FIA prizegiving ceremony in Rwanda. But he made his feelings about the punishment clear when he refused to engage in the post-qualifying presser at Marina Bay, instead speaking to the media outside.

Speaking to Dutch media outlets including the De Telegraaf ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Verstappen said he still feels the need to be ‘very careful’. He doesn’t think the FIA have a vendetta against him, but did question whether the rules have been applied consistently.

“Well, I’m the only one who’s been punished for using a swear word,” he said. “So I have to be very careful with what I say and do.

“Do I think they’re just out to get me? No, I’m not necessarily saying that. I’m just pointing out what happened last season.”

Verstappen questioned why McLaren didn’t protest Oscar Piastri’s penalty in Brazil, but he’s leaving it to GPDA directors George Russell and Carlos Sainz to argue the issue.

“And next week in Qatar, I don’t think I need to say much in that meeting either,” he explained. “Because George and Carlos will probably have everything ready.”

Have any other F1 drivers had a penalty for swearing?

Carlos Sainz swore in a press conference at the Bahrain GP earlier this year, but was apologetic when he spoke to the FIA afterwards. The incident was not referred to the stewards, which may have left Verstappen feeling aggrieved.

However, when Charles Leclerc used an expletive at the Mexico City GP, only weeks after Verstappen’s penalty, he was fined.

Leclerc quickly said sorry, but he still had to pay €5k (£4.4k), with a further €5k suspended. He did avoid community service, though.

The GPDA issued a statement at the end of last season calling for drivers to be treated like adults and stressing the difference between casual swearing and profane insults.