When Max Verstappen flashed his middle finger while passing the Williams garage during Friday’s winter test in Bahrain, a number of eyebrows were immediately raised in the paddock. The FIA has recently announced a crackdown on driver conduct, and Verstappen’s penalty points tally puts him at risk of a race ban in the worst-case scenario.
The Red Bull driver currently has eight penalty points on his tally. Any driver accumulating 12 or more points within a 12-month period faces an automatic race ban. Verstappen’s first two penalty points will not expire until 30 June, the anniversary of his 2024 Austrian Grand Prix skirmish with Lando Norris, which earned him a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points.
Television footage from Friday morning in Bahrain clearly showed Verstappen raising his middle finger while leaving the pit lane, right in front of the Williams pit wall. The gesture appeared to be directed at a man standing outside the Williams command centre, initially mistaken for a photographer by commentators.
Speculation quickly arose that Verstappen was expressing his displeasure towards an intrusive photographer attempting to capture technical details of his RB21. However, the reality was quite different. According to information from Motorsport.com’s sister title Motorsport-Total.com, the individual in question was Williams junior driver Luke Browning, a friend of Verstappen.
Thus, Verstappen’s gesture was not a defiant rebuke aimed at a photographer but rather a ‘friendly greeting’ to an old acquaintance.
It will not push Verstappen any closer to a race ban, as the FIA has confirmed that it will not investigate the incident, even after testing concluded.
FIA officials have indicated that since the middle finger incident occurred while Verstappen was in the car, and not in an official interview setting, they are letting the matter rest. Moreover, no stewards are formally appointed by the FIA during test sessions.
The FIA’s recent stringent measures against inappropriate driver behaviour have sparked heated debate. A particularly striking example was World Rally Championship driver Adrien Fourmaux being fined €10,000 for saying “we f****d up” in a TV interview.
Verstappen himself has had his share of run-ins with the FIA over his use of language. In 2024, he was required to perform “motorsport community service” at the FIA’s annual awards gala in Rwanda after using the word “f****d” during an official FIA press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.
The FIA’s new hardline approach has not been well received by most drivers and has even led to disagreements between the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) and the FIA’s not-so-popular president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The FIA’s strict stance may also have contributed to the boos at the F1 launch event in London when moderator Laura Winter mentioned the organisation.
Even Verstappen himself has urged for a more measured approach: “Honestly, I don’t think it’s necessary to enforce the rules this way. I believe we need a bit of common sense here.” He added that the public perception of the FIA’s stance on the matter speaks volumes.
“I understand that we can’t be swearing all the time. As drivers, we get that. But in the heat of the moment, when you’re being interviewed or still in the car, adrenaline can take over, and something might slip out.
“We’re all adults. It shouldn’t be taken so literally.”
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB21
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
The FIA’s recent punishments — handed out even when a driver was not insulting anyone but merely expressing frustration over their car or performance, as seen in the cases of Verstappen and Fourmaux —have little support within the F1 paddock. Even Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff opposes the FIA on this issue.
“None of us encourage such language,” Wolff said. “We are role models, and while people may laugh about it, I see us as representatives of a sport with a certain gentlemanly character. We stand for high technology, for precision, and in that sense, we are different from many other popular sports.
“For me, our sport has an inherent elegance, similar to rugby, where insulting an official would be unthinkable. Therefore, we should refrain from insulting officials — it’s non-negotiable. The FIA must uphold this aspect, that’s clear.
“We should have respect towards competitors, officials, and even within one’s own team: no one should be insulted, neither a team-mate nor a rival on track.
“At the same time, there is a crucial distinction in how certain words are used. If the F-word is said out of frustration over one’s own performance or as a spontaneous emotional reaction, that’s one thing. But if it is directed at another driver, an official, or one’s own team, then it is unacceptable and should be prohibited.
“Of course, we don’t want to suppress drivers’ emotions. Different standards apply in a press conference or an interview. But in the cockpit, as long as it’s not a direct insult or disrespect toward someone else, I would just let it go. But that’s just my personal opinion.”
Photos from the Bahrain Pre-Season Testing – Day 3
In this article
Christian Nimmervoll
Formula 1
Max Verstappen
Luke Browning
Red Bull Racing
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