Max Verstappen is asked to ‘behave well’ as Alonso joins Lewis Hamilton’s calls

Fernando Alonso says F1 drivers must “behave decently” in public after Max Verstappen’s spat with the FIA ​​at the Singapore Grand Prix.

This comes after Verstappen’s 2021 title rival and Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton urged the Red Bull man to “act like a world champion” at the start of the 2024 F1 season.

Fernando Alonso comments on the FIA ​​curse dispute surrounding Max Verstappen

Verstappen was punished for swearing in a press conference on the eve of the Singapore GP last month and the three-time world champion was forced to “carry out some work of public interest”.

The lawsuit against Verstappen came just days after Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of the FIA, called for a crackdown on drivers who use swear words, insisting “we must differentiate between our sport and rap music.”

Verstappen responded to his punishment by remaining noticeably reserved at press conferences for the remainder of the Singapore GP weekend – even holding an impromptu media event in the paddock after the official FIA post-qualifying meeting had concluded.

The Dutchman’s behavior earned him the support of his rivals, including Hamilton, who advised Verstappen to ignore the penalty.

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Verstappen’s protest even spread to other categories of motorsport. Eight-time WRC champion Sebastien Ogier kept his answers short and sweet at last weekend’s Rally Chile after he was fined €30,000 for comments he made at the previous event in Greece.

Explaining his stance in Chile, Ogier said the drivers were “told by the top of the FIA ​​to keep their mouths shut”, referencing Verstappen’s protest in Singapore. He added: “At the moment it’s not just happening in rallying.”

The FIA’s harsh response to Verstappen’s behavior has reignited the debate about whether top athletes should be viewed as role models. The Red Bull driver revealed that his fellow Formula 1 drivers “almost laughed” at his punishment in Singapore.

However, Aston Martin driver and two-time world champion Alonso has stressed the importance of drivers behaving “correctly” in front of the public.

Speaking at a sponsorship event in India, he said: “I have met a lot of fans around the world who follow Formula 1 and they always tell you that you are their inspiration.”

“Something like this reminds us that a lot of people are watching us.

“As a driver, you have to behave correctly. Then the fans can give you a lot of love, a lot of motivation, but also a lot of responsibility for what they expect from you.

“You have to be willing to be a role model when you want to be – and when you don’t.

“If you want to say something that is not right, you have to control yourself and be politically correct.

“If you have that day where you don’t want to train or prepare for the next Grand Prix, you have to do it because it’s your responsibility to your fans and people believe in you.”

Alonso’s comments came after Hamilton reminded Verstappen to “act like a world champion” following this year’s Hungarian Grand Prix, where Verstappen lost his temper during a challenging race for Red Bull.

Verstappen was heard criticizing his RB20 car and the team’s strategy on team radio in Budapest before colliding with Hamilton in the closing laps, later telling his critics to “fuck off” during his post-race media work.

Speaking to media outlets such as PlanetF1.com at the following race in Belgium, Hamilton explained the control over the correct behavior of leading F1 drivers.

He said: “You have to be a team leader, a team member.

“Maybe not a team leader, but always remember that you are a teammate with a lot of people and you have to behave like a champ.”

When asked what it means to act like a champ, he laughed: “That’s a good question! Not like last weekend.”

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