McLaren’s Andrea Stella emphasizes Max Verstappen’s duty to act responsibly, following FIA penalties for inappropriate comments in Singapore.
Andrea Stella, McLaren F1 team principal, criticized Max Verstappen’s behavior in front of the media in Singapore.
According to Stella, Formula 1 drivers have a “responsibility” to conduct themselves properly, particularly in press conferences, a view also shared by Fernando Alonso (as noted here).
Stella clearly distinguishes between heated remarks made while driving a Formula 1 car, which are censored by the FOM, and what a driver says to journalists.
“I would draw a line between swearing while drivers are in their cars—under the pressure of competition, under the pressure of doing laps—and those made during press conferences, especially on Thursday, when the weekend hasn’t really started,” commented the Italian, pointing out that Verstappen was rude and penalized for comments made on Thursday, before any on-track action began in Singapore.
“But things don’t always go as planned. I think there’s an emotional element we should accept, which sometimes comes out in the form of a swear word here and there, and I think the bleeps are there for that. The FOM does its job in that regard.”
“When you’re obviously outside the car, I think we should all strive to be responsible and not forget that we are, as much as possible, role models. Popularity, fame, doesn’t just bring benefits—it comes with responsibilities, and we should seize every opportunity to send good, positive messages, as Formula 1 is so popular that you can influence a wide range of people.”
“If we can influence, why not influence for the good? So even though a swear word might seem like a minor issue, I think if we miss this opportunity, it will be a missed chance to uphold the quality of language, respect for language, and respect for competitors.”
“I believe the enforcement of these rules is a good thing. Ideally, all competitors would apply them themselves, through their own policies or standards.”
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McLaren Urges Verstappen to Uphold F1 Standards Post Fine McLaren Urges Verstappen to Uphold F1 Standards Post Fine
