FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has not ruled out a possible “shutdown” of team radio communications, in the cases of Formula 1 drivers swearing.

The FIA has introduced an update to the International Sporting Code ahead of the 2025 season that could see drivers across its series given hefty fines for misconduct, up to potential suspensions and points deductions for repeat offences.

FIA president not ruling out ‘shutdown’ of live F1 radio communications

The subject of drivers swearing in official settings was brought into focus last season when Max Verstappen was ordered to carry out work in the public interest for swearing in an FIA press conference, while Charles Leclerc earned a €10,000 fine – half of which suspended – for a similar offence.

The sport’s governing body has sought to clamp down further on driver misconduct by bringing in changes to the International Sporting Code that enables them to punish drivers for ‘any misconduct’, public incitement of violence or hatred, statements that cause ‘moral injury’ to the FIA or its officials, or making and displaying political, personal or religious statements that violate the FIA’s neutrality principle.

These guidelines have been put in place to offer concrete forms of punishment to the stewards if required, though they are not obliged to use them.

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Ben Sulayem held a press conference at Jarama in Madrid and was asked what measures he is considering regarding combatting unsavoury language over team radio, and in a clip posted on social media by Spanish publication SoyMotor, he responded by keeping an open mind.

“Do we go on and then shut down the radios of live communications? Maybe. Do we delay it? Maybe,” said the FIA president.

“There’s a lot of things we will work [on] with our promoters. We are still the owners of the championship.”

How are F1 team radio communications currently played on TV?

It should be stated that it was not clear if Ben Sulayem was talking about a potential ‘shutdown’ of live radio messages being played on air, or communications between the driver and pit wall – though given the safety implications of a driver not being able to communicate in real time with their race engineer, the broadcast option would be more likely.

At present, when team radio messages are shown on the ‘global feed’, or the ‘main’ version of the race as broadcast around the world, clips are played with a slight delay and any instances of swearing are censored.

Elsewhere, live radio messages are accessible through premium TV packages for viewers choosing to watch a single driver’s live onboard during a race, meaning this option, if it comes to pass, could impact these radio messages specifically.

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