The FIA’s new rules on swearing in F1 will be a controversial topic throughout the 2025 season.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem issued a crackdown on swearing for the 2025 season. He has issued his disdain for drivers’ foul language in press conferences and over team radio.
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc were both punished for using the F-word in press conferences last season. The former was given community service hours – which he served at the FIA prize giving in Rwanda – and the latter received a 10,000 euro fine (roughly £8,300).
Verstappen retaliated by refusing to answer questions in press conferences after the incident. Timo Glock says the swearing row will ‘cost’ Verstappen in the long run, especially with the new punishments set out by the FIA.
F1 drivers could now receive up to a 120,000 euro fine (£99,400), a one-month suspension and an unspecified points deduction for repeat offences. Even one offence is a 40,000 euro fine (£33,100).
World Rally Championship driver Adrien Fourmaux became the first to receive a fine for swearing. The Frenchman was fined 30,000 euros (£24,900) by the FIA after he swore on a live TV broadcast at Rally Sweden.
Zak Brown applauds Carlos Sainz’s ‘very articulate’ comments about the FIA swearing rules
The new penalties have received a mixed response from drivers and key figures in the sport. Guenther Steiner agrees with Verstappen’s view and thinks drivers have freedom of speech.
Meanwhile, Zak Brown agrees with the initiative, with the McLaren CEO saying there is ‘no reason’ for drivers to swear in press conferences.
While many drivers do agree with that side of the new rules, many have argued things should be relaxed about swearing over team radio. It may be vulgar, but swearing is part of our language and while driving at high speeds, adrenaline is high and anything can come out.
This is what Carlos Sainz argued on the matter. The Williams driver said to the media recently that drivers should be ‘mature enough’ to control their language in press conferences, but stressed the FIA cannot be ‘too tough’ about it with radio messages.
READ MORE: Williams driver Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height
Speaking with talkSPORT Driving on the red carpet of the F1 75 launch event, Brown applauded the former McLaren driver’s ‘very articulate comments.
“I think you’ve got two scenarios.,” he said. “I think you’ve got that in the heat of the moment and I just read Carlos Sainz’s comments which I thought were very articulate.
“Which is of course when you’re in this situation and you’re not in the heat of the battle, I think it’s unnecessary for some of the stuff we’ve heard.
“But when the helmet’s on, there’s a lot of emotion and anger and passion. And we do have a delay button so I think if we find something’s totally inappropriate, just hit the bleep button.”
Oliver Bearman admitted he cannot afford to pay FIA fines
The FIA’s new rules will certainly be discussed throughout the season, no doubt when or if a driver offends.
Lance Stroll says the penalties will be ‘challenging’ to handle for drivers in 2025. They will have to be extra careful with what they say in the paddock or on track.
Oliver Bearman even admitted he cannot afford to pay the fines if he does offend. The Brit is on £300k-a-year at Haas, so even one offence would be a big hit for him.
Martin Brundle feels the drivers are ‘role models’ and agrees with Brown about the need for some regulation. He says it ‘doesn’t feel right’ that drivers use foul language in press conferences.
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