The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association’s (GPDA) open letter to the FIA over the recent swearing saga appeared to make reference to the jewellery row that saw Lewis Hamilton threatened to receive a race ban two years ago.
The F1 drivers are not happy with some of the guidelines being clamped down by the FIA following Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s request for less swearing.
But Hamilton felt there was a ‘racial element’ to the FIA president’s comments, who said: “We have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music. We’re not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? That’s them and we are [us].”
Ben Sulayem’s comments came just days before Max Verstappen was punished for swearing in a press conference in Singapore.
The Dutchman was punished for breaching Article 12.2.1k of the International Sporting Code for ‘misconduct’ and was ordered to carry out F1’s version of community service.
Lewis Hamilton was embroiled in a jewellery row with the FIA two years ago
REUTERS
The punishment was slammed by several F1 drivers and team bosses, who felt the FIA’s clampdown was unnecessary.
There was no leniency shown to Charles Leclerc at the Mexico City Grand Prix either when he swore in the post-race press conference.
The Ferrari driver said ‘f***’ while describing a hair-raising moment when he nearly crashed out of the race.
Leclerc immediately apologised, but he was subsequently fined €10,000 (£8,420) by the FIA with half suspended, pending no repeat within 12 months.
The F1 drivers have now retaliated with a strongly-worded open letter to the FIA, urging them to reconsider their stance over swearing.
The statement from the GPDA also pointed to a row centred around Hamilton from 2022 when he was at risk of receiving a race ban for wearing jewellery in the cockpit.
Their statement read: “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 an F1 car, or driving situation.
“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 given instructions via the media about matters as trivial as wearing of jewellery and underpants.”
Race director Neils Wittich released race notes for the 2022 Australian Grand Prix which reminded drivers about jewellery being banned when in the car.
The F1 drivers have hit out at Mohammed Ben Sulayem
PA
The rule had not been rigidly enforced until that season with Hamilton appearing to be the target of the rule clampdown.
The 39-year-old refused to back down initially, insisting his nose stud could not be easily removed.
Hamilton was then given a two-race medical exemption to find a way to remove the stud, putting him at risk of being banned from racing.
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Lewis Hamilton took his nose stud out for the British Grand Prix
PA
He conducted his media duties at the British Grand Prix with the jewellery piece still in place, but he later removed it to end his long standoff with the governing body.
Hamilton would have reportedly been fined by governing body if he continued to wear the nose stud with a ban then being enforced on the fourth instance.
The following year saw a U-turn from the FIA with Hamilton given permission to wear a nose stud while racing.
The ruling said: “There are concerns about disfigurement with frequent attempts at removal of the device.”