F1 Swear Words, Ralf Schumacher Is With Verstappen: “Ben Sulayem? A Disaster”

F1 Swearing, Verstappen vs Fia

Let it not be said that the International Federation has not done its best to get everyone – and I mean everyone – to agree. With the swearing controversy that followed the decision to sanction Max Verstappen sentencing him to carry out a few hours of public interest work, the drivers unanimously sided with the world champion and against the stewards’ decision, which was considered too severe. The Dutchman, in short, is definitely in good company in the protest that sees him opposed to the FIA: and after theendorsement of Nico Rosberg and the GPDA drivers’ association, now also Ralph Schumacher sides with Super Max.

Ralf Schumacher is with Max

Verstappen chose not to speak – or, better, to do so as little as possible – during the official press conferences organised by the FIA, but then he told all his frustration to the journalists gathered in the paddock at the end of the Singapore GP, threatening to retire from F1. An eventuality that Schumacher said he took seriously: “I think Max could retire if there is an escalation. He is very independent and has also already earned quite a bit of money in his career. Furthermore, he has stated several times that he does not want to drive in Formula 1 forever, so I would not rule out the possibility of his retirement.”.

“Max – continued the former driver of, among others, Williams and Toyota – He also has a lot going through his head at the moment. There’s the Christian Horner issue, Adrian Newey’s departure, the car bouncing nervously on the track and the championship win slipping through his hands. It’s normal that sometimes you can swear… I think a warning would have been enough”.

Ben Sulayem as Chancellor Scholz

Schumacher then pointed the finger at the FIA ​​president, guilty of having (again) gotten himself into trouble with his anti-swearing crusade: “Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s role is tragic, he looks like our Olaf Scholz (the Chancellor of Germany, ed.), it’s a disaster in terms of communication. First he got into trouble with Susie Wolff, then there was the huge scandal with Liberty Media that almost cost him his job, finally the comments made at the official awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi. I would advise the FIA ​​to think of something new”.

“Obviously with Max now it’s a battle. If I had to advise him what to do – concluded Ralf – I would tell him to concentrate on the track because on a technical level the problems he has to face are already big enough. But he feels he has been treated unfairly and is becoming stubborn, but I don’t think Ben Sulayem is intelligent enough to turn the situation around.. So I would make a virtue of necessity and propose a passionate project, maybe helping children or something like that. Verstappen now has to focus on the car and winning the world championship. A boycott like that is nothing more than a distraction”.