Formula 1 drivers could risk hefty fines or even points deductions for swearing under new FIA stewards guidelines.
The topic of swearing garnered widespread media attention last year after FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem sought to crack down on foul language in the global racing arena.
Max Verstappen famously faced consequences thereafter for swearing during a press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix and had to conduct community service as punishment.
Driver fines were also a hot topic last year, with the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) questioning the severity of fines for infringements and how the money was then applied back into the system.
An open letter was written by the GPDA asking for clarity over the swearing clampdown and driver fines but a response was not forthcoming.
Updated guidelines in the FIA sporting code
Now, guidelines recently updated in the FIA’s sporting code could see drivers face stricter punishments if found in breach of Article 12, which relates to misconduct in: “The general use of language (written or verbal), gesture and/or sign that is offensive, insulting, coarse, rude or abusive and might reasonably be expected or be perceived to be coarse or rude or to cause offence, humiliation or to be inappropriate”, “assaulting (elbowing, kicking, punching, hitting, etc.)”, and “incitement to do any of the above”.
Misconduct offences will be hit with a series of fines, multiplied by four in the case of F1 drivers (FIA WEC and FIA WRC have a three-times multiplier, with Formula Regional drivers facing a two-times multiplier and national drivers receiving base fines).
That means F1 drivers will be hit with €40,000 for the first offence and €80,000 plus a suspended one-month suspension for the second offence.
A third offence will result in a €120,000 fine “plus 1-month suspension plus deduction of Championship points”.
A similar structure for penalties will be applied to “the general making and display of political, religious and personal statements” that go against the FIA’s position of “neutrality” and “any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA” and “any public incitement to violence or hatred”.
Further strict penalties to be imposed by the FIA
The FIA is also ramping up its penalties regarding “failure to comply with the instructions of the FIA regarding the appointment and participation of persons during official ceremonies at any Competition counting towards a FIA Championship”.
Once again F1 drivers will have a four-times multiplier attributed to the penalty structure, meaning that if they breach ceremony instructions they’ll face penalties of €60,000, €120,000 (“plus suspension of access to Reserved Area(s) of the event for the next event”) and €180,000 plus a six-month suspension of access to reserved areas for first, second and third offences.
In addition, the International Sporting Code now includes clauses such as infractions for failing to comply with environmental measures and admissions for inadmissible protests.
Every protest will now require accompanying applications with the sporting code stating that “any protest against a stewards’ decision will be inadmissible”.
The series of strict changes to driver fines and penalties will no doubt cause further tensions between the FIA and the GPDA.
It’s worth noting that the GPDA’s open letter to the FIA and its President was met with little to no formal response.
Moreover, Ben Sulayem sensationally revealed to Motorsport.com in an interview that matters of governance in the FIA are “none of [the drivers’] business.”
READ MORE – FIA responds to George Russell’s criticism of its handling of F1 driver fines
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