In the aftermath of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem calling for a clampdown on swearing in Formula 1, Max Verstappen was ordered to carry out some “work of public interest” after using the term “f***ed” in reference to his Red Bull RB20, while speaking in an FIA press conference ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.
The verdict did not go down well with Verstappen, who protested by keeping his answers very short in the FIA press conferences which followed on that race weekend.
But, despite receiving advice from Lewis Hamilton not to, Verstappen did serve his community service.
As for what that entailed, ahead of collecting the F1 World Championship trophy for the fourth year running at the FIA gala in Rwanda, Verstappen got involved with some grassroots motorsport activities in the nation, with Rwanda bidding to host a grand prix down the line and bring the sport back to the African continent.
And former F1 driver turned FIA steward Johnny Herbert approved of this decision from the governing body.
“It is the right thing to do because it is different,” Herbert told Plejmo.com.
“He can do a good thing for Africa. F1 is looking for a race in Africa and there has been talk of one there.
It would be great for the continent to go back to Africa. But there is a lot to organise and have the right infrastructure.
“Any country has got to work with F1 rather than the other way round. We are talking about the biggest sport in the world. F1 does it its way which is why it is so successful.”
According to the FIA president, there was no resistance from Verstappen when told of what his community service involved. Instead, he was apparently “so happy” when he found out.
And going forward, Ben Sulayem is considering writing such activities into the contracts of F1 drivers.
“[Max] really fulfilled his promise,” said Ben Sulayem.
“This is the community service we need every single driver, champion, to do if we want to grow.
“If we talk about diversity: this is the real diversity. It was not about the car, mainly about the people there.
“I believe maybe in the future we won’t have to have it as a penalty.
“It has to come as a gesture from the drivers and maybe I’ll put it in the contract once they get their licence.”
