Toto Wolff calls for ‘civilised’ resolution to Max Verstappen FIA swearing debate

Having been hauled in front of the FIA stewards himself for swearing, Toto Wolff says F1 could be “more civilised” but he still wants “raw moments” on the track.

Formula 1 is in the midst of a swearing saga after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem issued a crackdown on swearing and warned the drivers they could face penalties if they swore over team radio.

Toto Wolff: But if we can dim it down a little bit…

Stating that while he understood that drivers were “in the heat of the moment”, he added: Looking at this we need to very keen when it comes to conduct. That is why we have to be responsible people.”

But then the young Red Bull Racing driver, Max Verstappen, said the F-word during a press conference on Thursday at the Singapore Grand Prix.

In the case of Red Bull driver, the FIA stewards held him guilty of violating the art. 156 of the International Sporting Code and fined him by ordering him to ‘do a race of public interest’.

Verstappen boycotted his FIA post-race press conference and in the following one he only answered “yes” or “no” to questions before telling the journalists: “I would prefer if you would ask these questions outside the room.”

Verstappen isn’t the first person to be hauled before the stewards for swearing with Wolff and Fred Vasseur handed official warnings when they dropped the F-word during the Friday team boss press conference in Las Vegas last year.

But while the Mercedes team boss agrees sweary radio rants should be shut down, he doesn’t want the drivers’ emotions and personalities squashed.

“I was at the stewards last year after Las Vegas and it was quite an enjoyable experience,” he joked to the media in Singapore. “Fred and I were there at the same time. He was a bit more worried.

“I said to them it was the first time since school that I was called to the headmaster, and I promise you it is going to be the last time.

“Having said that, I think there is an argument that big swearing and being rude on the radio is not something that should happen. If it is so bad it is disrespectful, towards the other side of the line, there are people at home watching it, the family of the people that you know.

We can all freely curse and say the F-word but it is always the context that defines it. We want to have emotions, we want the characters to cry; and we know that the drivers are on those extreme ends.

But if we can tone it down a little bit I think that is good for all of us, but I wouldn’t say they should not use the F-word because I know there is worse out there.

He added: “I don’t think any one pays much attention to the FIA press conference as it is.” I mean but it isn’t written about or really. If I’m wrong, I believe that there is one.

It’s just that I believe that there isn’t a large market of people interested in it. We are the group. Everyone is traveling here; we know each other, and I don’t believe that utilizing the effort in a press conference is the worst.

“But OK if we need to adapt, all of us adapt our language including team principals then we will look at it more.” It is more civilised like this.