Max Verstappen says he believes there are more important things for the FIA to concern itself with than occasional expletives used by the drivers.

Verstappen was given a community service punishment at the end of last season, after uttering an expletive during an FIA press conference at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen: FIA swearing punishments ‘a lot of money’

With the issue of driver swearing inadvertently becoming a hot topic over the winter, the FIA responded by outlining a new Appendix in the International Sporting Code aimed at all competitors across all of its governed series.

With fines starting at 10,000 euros for a first offence for lower-level series, a Formula 1 driver will find themselves hit with a 40,000 euro fine for a first swearing offence – rising to 120,000 euro and potential race bans and championship points deductions by the time a third offence is reached during a two-year period.

The Appendix doesn’t just relate to swearing but encompasses breaches pertaining to misconduct, bad language, and causing ‘moral injury’ to Formula 1’s governing body with drivers facing a sliding scale of punishments.

Last year, Verstappen fell foul of a breach of the Sporting Code as he told the media during an FIA press conference that his RB20 car was “f***ed”, earning himself a day of community service for the offence.

Verstappen responded to the incident with fury as he held a silent protest by declining to answer questions during FIA press conferences and, instead, held impromptu media briefings in the paddock instead.

But Verstappen appears to be entering the F1 2025 with a more compliant mindset and, while the Dutch driver still believes issuing fines and punishments for the use of language that many would consider normal and acceptable of an adult sportsman is over the top, he declined against criticising FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem as he addressed media at the F1 75 launch event in London.

Asked for his take on the FIA’s ruling at Red Bull’s press conference, Verstappen replied, “Yeah, I prefer not to speak about that, it might get me in trouble. So it’s better not to answer that.”

Asked to elaborate during a separate session with written media, including PlanetF1.com, the four-time F1 World Champion said of the potential fines, “Yeah, yeah, I mean, it’s a lot of money.

“Honestly, from my side, I think it’s not necessary to be like that with the rules, I think you need to use a bit of common sense.

“Besides that, I prefer that we actually focus on other topics to try and improve safety, try and improve the overall performance of Formula 1 cars, instead of actually having to focus on all these kinds of things – it’s a bit unnecessary.”

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Put to him that the punishments could result in the draconian possibility of losing the championship due to serving a race ban over matters unrelated to on-track behaviour, Verstappen said, “Yeah, that’s why I think it’s just a bit much.”

Verstappen hasn’t spoken to Ben Sulayem about the steps taken by the FIA, saying that, “It’s a complicated matter.

“I always share my opinion and like I say now, I think it’s just a bit much. It was not necessary to put it like that, like fully written down.”

The context of swearing and bad language should be taken into consideration, Verstappen outlined to Dutch media, saying that he has more important things to be worried about at this point in his life – Verstappen is set to become a father for the first time in June 2025, having been a father figure to partner Kelly Piquet’s daughter Penelope over the last half decade.

“Of course, it also depends a bit on what you all say and who it is directed at,” he said.

“It’s all very tricky. You obviously prefer to spend that money on something else then, like a children’s room, fresh paint.

“You have to be very careful with what you say. It shows.”

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