Mercedes Formula 1 boss Toto Wolff has backed the FIA’s new penalties targeting swearing, breaking ranks with widespread criticism from teams and drivers.
Speaking just minutes ago to Sky Sports, Wolff expressed support for the governing body’s latest measures, which could see championship points deducted for misconduct.
“I think we want to see emotions in the car, and there are ways of showing that or not,” Wolff said during a red-carpet interview.
The move follows the FIA’s previous crackdown on swearing during press conferences last year, with the latest initiative introducing stricter punishments.
Toto Wolff is a big fan of the new swearing rules that Max Verstappen might despise
PA
Wolff emphasised the sport’s responsibility towards its audience, particularly young viewers.
The Mercedes Team Principal has previously voiced concerns about his own son picking up inappropriate language from F1 drivers.
“I think also we have a responsibility towards all the spectators,” Wolff stated in the Sky Sports interview.
His stance reflects growing concerns about the impact of drivers’ language on younger fans tuning into the sport.
Wolff highlighted the cultural complexities surrounding language in Formula 1, particularly regarding British drivers.
“I believe particularly the non-native ones, the British, often don’t understand how grave or how nuanced the word can be,” he explained.
The Mercedes boss emphasised how certain words can carry different weight across cultures.
His comments specifically addressed British drivers and officials, noting how language interpretation varies among FIA leadership and different fan bases.
Max Verstappen fumed at the FIA last season after swearing in an interview
Reuters
World champion Max Verstappen was found guilty of swearing during an interview, which led to him being punished by the FIA.
The Red Bull superstar was furious with the decision and even threatened to quit Formula One over the incident.
In September after describing his car as ‘f***ked’, Verstappen said: “These kinds of things definitely decide my future as well. When you cant be yourself, you have to deal with these kinds of silly things.
“Now I’m at a stage of my career that I don’t want to be dealing with this all the time. Its really tiring.”
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Toto Wolff is keen on the FIA to clamp down on swearing
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Concluding his remarks, Wolff expressed clear support for the FIA’s latest initiative.
“In that respect, I think any initiative is good,” the Mercedes boss said.
He emphasised that reducing inappropriate language would benefit the sport.
“If we stop some of the bad swearing, that’s that’s positive,” Wolff added.