The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GDPA), the union of Formula 1 drivers, is standing up for Max Verstappen. The union believes that Verstappen has been excessively penalized for his coarse language during the press conference in Singapore. Chairman Alexander Wurz has announced that the GDPA will raise the issue with the FIA.
Verstappen received a community service penalty from the FIA after using the English expletive ‘fucked’ during the Thursday press conference. Although it is not yet clear when Verstappen must carry out the community service, and what exactly this penalty entails, the GDPA union is already approaching the FIA.
GDPA Chairman Alexander Wurz also finds the penalty absurd. “If you give Max Verstappen a penalty for that, you should have banned Günther Steiner for life during his time as team boss of Haas. But the fact that he used F-words on Netflix in ‘Drive to Survive’, and elsewhere, was glorified,” Wurz said. “The FIA has handled this completely wrong.”
Resolution
Wurz plans to give a joint response to the FIA with all the drivers on the grid. “Normally we discuss these kinds of issues internally and I also hope that we can resolve this issue with the FIA behind closed doors,” Wurz concludes.
