Warning: this article contains language that may be offensive to some readers.
In a scathing open letter aimed at Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) director Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) early November laid out its case opposing recent fines levied against two high-profile Formula One drivers for swearing. In September, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen was fined 10,000 euros (CDN$15,000) by the FIA, the governing body for F1, for saying “fuck” during a press conference: “As soon as I went into qualifying, I knew the car was fucked.”
A few months later, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc also received a 10,000-euro fine for using the same word in a press conference; the FIA later rescinded the fine after a swift and thorough apology. (Verstappen could not be bothered to apologize, and instead held his own press conference outside of the official FIA event.)
Ben Sulayem further angered drivers in an interview he gave with Autosport where he claimed he would clamp down on the drivers’ coarse language. These successive recent controversies pushed the GPDA to send out an open letter aimed directly at Ben Sulayem.
“Our members are professional drivers, racing in Formula One, the pinnacle of international motorsport,” it read in part. “They are gladiators and every racing weekend they put on a great show for the fans. 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 One car, or a 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 be given instructions via the media about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewelry and underpants.”
The letter went on to ask for more transparency in determining how the dollar amount of these fines is calculated, and where that fine money is spent. “The GPDA has, on countless occasions, expressed its view that driver monetary fines are not appropriate for our sport. For the past three years, we have called upon the FIA President to share the details and strategy regarding how the FIA’s financial fines are allocated and where the funds are spent. We have also relayed our concerns about the negative image financial fines bring to the sport.”
Previous NSFW one-liners from Formula One drivers have become fan favourites and memes. While F1 drivers are role models for children, those drivers are also adults campaigning in a dangerous and emotional sport. Do you think swearing belongs in F1 conferences? Let us know in the comments.
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