Formula One team bosses have been directed to instruct their drivers to stop swearing over the radio, following Max Verstappen’s expletive-filled rant during the Hungarian Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver was visibly frustrated after his struggles last weekend, which culminated in a dramatic collision with Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the race.

In one particularly heated exchange, Verstappen lashed out at his long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase, saying, “No mate, don’t give me that s*** now. You guys gave me this s*** strategy, OK? I’m trying to rescue what’s left.”

This outburst has prompted Formula One Group CEO Stefano Domenicali to remind teams of the importance of maintaining professional language during radio communications, which are broadcast live. According to The Times, Domenicali emphasized this point in a meeting on Tuesday.

Despite the backlash, Verstappen has remained unapologetic. Reflecting on the incident, he stated, “[If] people don’t like my language, then don’t listen in, turn the volume down. I’m very driven for success, I think I’ve proven that already. I always want to optimize stuff, now people can argue that he might not be so vocal on the radio but that’s their opinion.”

Verstappen also asserted that there was no need for an apology to his team for his radio messages. “I don’t think we need to apologize, I think we just need to do a better job. I don’t know why people think we cannot be vocal on a radio. This is a sport. If some people don’t like that, then stay home.”

The incident has also seen Hamilton weigh in, admitting he found the situation somewhat amusing. “Obviously the close battle we had at the end was a bit hair-raising, but that’s motor racing. It’s not nerve-wracking. When you see the pace at which they closed the gap in certain corners, you just laugh to yourself because it’s not something I can do,” Hamilton commented.

Adding to Verstappen’s recent woes, he is now winless in three races, and McLaren’s Lando Norris is closing the gap. Verstappen’s frustrations were compounded during the Hungarian Grand Prix when he attempted to overtake Hamilton but ended up spinning off course.

As if the recent troubles weren’t enough, Verstappen is also set to face a 10-place grid penalty at the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix for exceeding his engine allowance.

The message from Domenicali to curb swearing and maintain professionalism over the radio highlights the ongoing challenges of balancing the intensity of the sport with the public nature of its broadcast communications.