The FIA was wrong to 'make a big story' out of the Max Verstappen swearing controversy, says Guenther Steiner.
The FIA was wrong to "make a big story" out of the Max Verstappen swearing controversy, says former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner.
"But don't say: 'If you do, you get a fine, a penalty, whatever.' Because you know these guys, they've got an ego as well. And they say: 'I don't want to do that.' And then what do you create? All this controversy - for nothing.""You have heard me a lot in press conferences and interviews like this, I don't swear," he said. "I swear when I am in the battle. And that's why I made these comments.
Steiner was talking to BBC Sport in an interview to mark a new book, Unfiltered, which recounts his 10 years in charge of the Haas team. He was fired last winter after a disagreement with owner Gene Haas. Steiner writes: "We all know what Charlie would have done - had he been at the helm, Lewis would now be an eight-time world champion."
"I have no idea why they didn't say it," he said. "We all came to the conclusion that a mistake was made. I respect Michael Masi a lot. Michael is a friend as well, and we all make mistakes. "You couldn't do anything any more," he said. "But saying: 'Hey, if we had to go back, we would decide different', I think that would have been enough. It wouldn't make it right because you cannot change the result of the World Championship because of one race.
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