F1 world champ sent to do community service in Rwanda as punishment for swearing

Formula 1 is the pinnacle of motorsport (sorry, NASCAR), but unfortunately it's also run like a 19th-century British boarding school.

For the crime of swearing during a news conference in Singapore back in September, world champion Max Verstappen, who won his fourth Formula 1 drivers' title this year, is working on a grassroots program in Rwanda this week.

So they skip the swear jar and go straight to forced labor?!

The governing body of Formula 1, Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, declared that the Dutch racing driver will carry out a "work of public interest" in Rwanda's capital city of Kigali as punishment for describing his car as "f****d."

A statement from F1:

While in Kigali, he will undertake some work with junior competitors as part of the grassroots development programme organised by the Rwanda Automobile Club.

The activity will involve an FIA affordable cross car which was built locally in Rwanda by the RAC from blueprints provided by the FIA.

In addition, I'm told by a source who I completely made up that 27-year-old Max Verstappen will be given a time out, and won't be allowed to play on his Xbox until January 1, 2026.


Follow Ian on Substack or X (@ighaworth).


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