Ben Sulayem encouraged by Verstappen's community service: 'Everyone should'
F1 News
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem went to see for himself: Max Verstappen driving an FIA Affordable Cross Car and spending time with the young aspiring drivers in Rwanda, fulfilling his community service. Ben Sulayem could only praise the driver, saying that he had lived up to expectations.
"We went there and he really fulfilled his promise. He [Verstappen] was there, he was with the young girls and boys who built the car and then there was also the girls who were in the [car for] first time for them, and karting. So there were about hundreds of them," the FIA President began.
"So this is the community service that we need every single driver, champion to do. If we want to grow, if we talk about diversity, this is the real diversity," Ben Sulayem continued on Verstappen's performance.
Mandatory community service for a super licence?
According to Ben Sulayem, Verstappen didn't push the car to its limits, but that was not what mattered on this occasion. "No, it was not about the car. It was mainly about the people there. About the young girls and boys that we meet. So I believe maybe in the future we don't have to have that as a penalty, it has to come as a gesture from the drivers, and maybe I'll put it on the contract once they get that on the license," the President explained, referring to the fact that doing similar events should be a regularity for the F1 drivers.
Ben Sulayem believes it is important that not only the champion, but all drivers are are ambassadors for Formula 1: "Yes, a 100%."
This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen
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