The FIA’s controversial crackdown on swearing in motorsport claimed its first victim on Sunday when WRC driver Adrien Fourmaux was fined €10,000 for using the F-word.

Last season FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem courted controversy when he called for a ban on Formula 1 drivers swearing, saying “we have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music, we’re not rappers”.

The FIA have followed through on the swearing ban punishments

His FIA doubled down on that in January with an updated version of the FIA’s sporting code released last month, laying out guidelines for harsh punishments for offences committed under Article 12, which included misconduct, bad language and causing ‘moral injury’ to motorsport’s governing body.

The punishments would be based on a sliding scale determined by the FIA’s competition level, with a specific tier reserved for F1 where base fines should be multiplied by four. WRC falls under tier three, with base fines multiplied by three.

French rally driver Fourmaux found himself the first driver penalised under the revised guidelines.

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Competing in the Rally Sweden this past weekend, Fourmaux was asked for a summary of his rally.

“I had a clean stage, the ruts are really tricky,” he said. “I think it will be difficult to do a good time. There is a lot of sweeping in the beginning. We f***ed up yesterday [referring to a stage 11 incident].”

He was summoned to see the stewards over his F-bomb with the report stating that the Hyundai driver explained ‘he was referring to the mistake(s) he had made on the previous day (Saturday, February 15th, 2025) and that he used the words in a colloquial and descriptive way, in the sense that he had made a mistake.

‘He apologised as he did not mean to offend or insult anyone by using those words.

‘The Stewards reminded the Driver and the Team Representative of the stance of the FIA regarding not only inappropriate language but also verbal/physical abuse, and making/displaying political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes.

‘The Stewards and the FIA acknowledge that the words in question have unfortunately become common colloquialisms. However, it is essential to emphasize that this does not diminish the fact that such language is widely regarded as profanity and is inappropriate in public discourse, including live television broadcasts.

‘Public platforms are not solely intended for audiences familiar with these colloquialisms but also reach diverse cultures and individuals, who may find such words offensive.

‘Motorsport is a global sport, engaging people of various age groups and cultural backgrounds, some of whom may misinterpret or take offence to these expressions.

‘Given this, the FIA remains committed to ensuring that inappropriate language is not used in public forums, including visual and audible media, press conferences, and social media.

‘Furthermore, as public figures and role models for future generations of athletes and fans, sportspersons are expected to uphold a standard of professionalism and respect in their communication.’

Breaching Article 12 of the 2025 FIA International Sporting Code, Fourmaux was handed a €10,000 fine, with a further €20,000 suspended for 12 months.

The report continued: ‘In determining the appropriate penalty for this breach, the Stewards have considered the following mitigating circumstances:

‘This is his first instance of the Driver being summoned before the Stewards for such an infringement.

‘English is not the Driver’s native language. The expression used is a rather colloquial term in certain cultures and was not intended to be offensive. The driver has acknowledged that it was a lapse in judgment, expressed in the heat of the moment immediately after finishing SS18 Umeå (Powerstage).

‘The remark was self-referential, directed solely at the driver’s own performance, and was not aimed at any other individual or entity. There is no evidence to suggest that it meant to cause offense to any other party.

The driver immediately recognised the inappropriate nature of the comment and issued an unprompted apology to the Stewards and the FIA. Furthermore, he voluntarily committed to posting a public apology on his social media account, which has since been published.

‘The driver has assured the Stewards that he shall exercise greater caution in the future.’

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