Following penalties handed to prominent drivers like Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc for swearing in what seemed like an FIA crackdown, the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association called on Ben Sulayem to “reflect on his own tone and language.”
“With regards to swearing, there is a difference between swearing intended to insult others and more casual swearing, such as you might use to describe bad weather, or indeed an inanimate object such as a Formula 1 car, or a driving situation,” the GPDA said in a statement on Instagram.
“We urge the FIA President to also consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers, or indeed about them, whether in a public forum or otherwise. Further, our members are adults, they do not need to be given instructions via the media about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewelry and underpants.”
A statement from #F1's Grand Prix Drivers' Association following Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc's recent 'misconduct' ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wcDvxbIhkB
— The Race (@wearetherace) November 7, 2024
Leclerc, the Ferrari driver, was penalized by the stewards at the Brazilian Grand Prix for making a similar comment during the previous race in Mexico. The GPDA expressed a desire for greater transparency from the FIA and Ben Sulayem regarding the allocation of funds raised through driver fines.
Ben Sulayem’s stance on swearing has faced backlash previously. In September, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton pointed out a “racial element” to Ben Sulayem’s comments, which had sought to differentiate F1 from rap culture in an interview explaining why the FIA was cracking down on swearing.
The FIA has also sought to impose a ban on jewelry, leading Hamilton to protest by wearing several necklaces, watches, and rings during a race, while also reminding drivers to wear approved fire-resistant underwear.
Verstappen has his say on FIA policy
“I don’t know, man,” Verstappen said when later asked about the penalty. “You always have to be politically correct. That’s always been the case, but with some of the things that have come in lately, it makes it a little bit less enjoyable.”
The two-time world champion suggested that the current climate in F1 has made him more hesitant about how he communicates. “If it continues like this, I’m not sure,” Verstappen acknowledged. “For me, it’s better to say less. I just focus on doing my job during race weekends and living my life outside of that. But you have to be extremely cautious about what you say.”
The outspoken Red Bull driver became a focal point of the controversy earlier this season after being penalized for violating Article 12.2.1k of the International Sporting Code. Verstappen was handed a one-day community service sentence for using foul language while discussing his car’s setup issues during a press conference.
Earlier, Verstappen threatened to quit F1 following his penalty during an interview at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Dutchman finished second at the Singapore Grand Prix and responded to the FIA’s decision by staying largely silent, offering only short answers during the press conference by the governing body after qualifying.
When asked about improvements made to the car between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix, he simply replied, “No, I might get fined.” However, Verstappen chose to speak freely in interviews outside of the FIA-organized press conference. When asked if conflicts with the FIA would lead him to reconsider his future in the sport, the 26-year-old firmly replied, “For sure, yeah.”
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Mohd Faisal Hakak is a sports author from Kashmir. He likes to keep tabs on the sporting world with a keen interest in football, motorsports, NBA, and other marquee sports. He is a science graduate from Islamia College Srinagar.
