F1 News: Alonso tells Verstappen to ‘control yourself’ with swearing

(GMM) Fernando Alonso has broken ranks with many of his fellow Formula 1 personalities over the Max Verstappen swearing affair.

Most drivers and officials stridently agreed with Verstappen that his penalty for calling his Red Bull “f**ked” in a FIA press conference in Singapore was excessive.

Lewis Hamilton even urged his fellow multiple world champion to refuse to do his day of community service.

“Think of the moments when you don’t feel like training or don’t want to prepare for the next weekend. You still have to do it,” Alonso, a two-time champion and the oldest driver on the F1 grid, said when asked about Hamilton’s advice to Verstappen.

“You have a responsibility to yourself, to your fans and to everyone who believes in you,” Alonso added at a sponsor press conference in India.

As for the swearing itself, the Spaniard also thinks drivers like Verstappen have a responsibility to keep their behavior within limits.

“The fans give us a huge responsibility because we are role models for many people,” said Alonso, 43. “So we have to behave well.

“You have to be prepared to be a role model when you want to be, and when you don’t want to be, as well. When you want to say something that is not correct, you have to control yourself, put on the brakes, and be politically correct.

“At this level, you realize that a lot of people are looking up to us. If you are a driver or someone else with a public function, you just have to behave,” added Alonso.

“Fans can give you a lot of love, a lot of motivation, but there are also certain expectations,” the Aston Martin driver continued. “Sometimes you just have to hold back.

“The fans have to believe in you. They tell you ‘you are my inspiration, you never give up, you are a fighter’. This reminds us that there are so many fans in the world following Formula 1 and we must always keep that in mind.

“The fans give you so much love, motivation, but that comes with responsibility.”