Max Verstappen completed part of his community service in Formula E

After having a heated altercation with Esteban Ocon following their collision at the Brazilian Grand Prix last season, the FIA had decided to impose two days of community service on Max Verstappen.

The first one therefore imposed herself on the Dutchman last weekend, as part of the Formula E Marrakech ePrix. The Red Bull driver spent Saturday on the Moulay El Hassan circuit alongside the race stewards.

A rewarding experience according to the main person involved, who remained very discreet during his stint in the discipline: « Everyone does their job during race weekends, and it’s interesting to see what it takes to make important decisions. Sometimes, these decisions don’t please everyone, but they have to be made to ensure the rules are followed. It’s interesting to experience other areas of car racing beyond just sitting in the car. Being there and doing this kind of work has been very instructive for me. »

A day that also allowed Verstappen to take a slightly more curious look at Formula E: « Of course, I have already followed Formula E on TV, but it’s the first time I’ve been in the paddock, and I really enjoyed it. There are exciting races. The discipline is clearly growing, and there are many manufacturers involved, so I think it’s really a pretty cool championship. »

However, some key players in the discipline did not appreciate Verstappen’s presence in the paddock, and especially the choice of his punishment by the FIA. This includes driver Sam Bird, who competes in the championship with the Virgin Racing team: “It’s good that he’s here. But describing attendance at a Formula E race as community service does not do justice to Formula E. It’s an incredible championship, and people pay to come and see us. It shouldn’t be seen as a punishment to come and see us. I hope he enjoyed it and will share positive feedback with some of his colleagues.”