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Formula 1’s Grand Prix Drivers’ Association has released a letter railing against the FIA’s clampdown on swearing, calling for the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to “consider his own tone and language when talking about drivers”.
In Austin, GPDA director George Russell promised F1 drivers would respond with a public letter after Max Verstappen was handed F1’s answer to community service for swearing in an FIA press conference in Singapore.
That was part of a clampdown on swearing led by Ben Sulayem, with Charles Leclerc also penalised in Brazil - he escaped with a fine because he immediately apologised for swearing.
The drivers are unimpressed with the punishments as well as the rhetoric around the clampdown, with the drivers specifically asking Ben Sulayem to watch his tone.
They also claim they’ve been asking for transparency since 2022 on where the money from the fines paid by the drivers go - as well as suggesting they’re unnecessary.
GPDA letter in full
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 the gladiators and every racing weekend they put on a great show for the fans.
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. 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 three 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.
Best regards,
The Directors and Chairman of the GPDA on behalf of the Grand Prix Drivers.
