The Grand Prix Drivers Association has released a collective statement addressed to the FIA regarding its attempted clampdown on Formula 1 drivers swearing.
The row began when FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem requested Formula One Management (FOM) limit how much it airs F1 drivers swearing on the radio.
Ben Sulayem claimed that competitors needed to “differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music” and that “we’re not rappers” as part of his vow.
Max Verstappen using an expletive in a press conference in the build-up to the Singapore Grand Prix landed him in hot water in response to the FIA’s suppression.
The Dutchman, who has been ordered to conduct community service, slammed the penalty the stewards dished out, holding his own media session post-qualifying.
The most recent name to be punished by the FIA was Charles Leclerc after he swore in a post-race conference at the Mexico City Grand Prix, for which he was fined.
Mercedes’ George Russell warned the FIA that he and his fellow F1 drivers would be penning a public letter addressed to them regarding the recent driver sanctions.
In the public letter released today, the drivers have said: “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.
“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.”
F1 drivers don’t ‘need instructions via the media’
Several current F1 drivers disagreed with the sanction handed out to Verstappen, who became limited in his answers to the media in response to his punishment.
Now, the entire grid is urging the FIA to cooperate with the GPDA to address the actions of the president and to work with them on how they decide to punish the drivers.
In the rest of the statement, it read: “As is the case with every sport, competitors must abide by the referee’s decision, whether they like it or not, indeed whether they agree with it or not.
“That is how sport works. The Drivers (our members) are no different, and fully understand that.
“Our members are professional drivers, racing in Formula 1, the pinnacle of international motorsport.
“They are gladiators and every racing weekend they put on a great show for the fans.
“Further, our members are adults, they do not need to be given instructions via the media, about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery and underpants.
“The GPDA has, on countless occasions, expressed its view that Driver monetary fines are not appropriate for our Sport.
“For the past 3 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.
“We once again request that the FIA President provides financial transparency and direct, open dialogue with us.
“All stakeholders (FIA, F1, the Teams and the GPDA) should jointly determine how and where the money is spent for the benefit of our Sport.
“The GPDA wishes to collaborate in a constructive way with all the stakeholders, including the FIA President, in order to promote our great Sport for the benefit of everyone who works in it, pays for it, watches it, and indeed loves it. We are playing our part.”
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