The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has introduced new guidelines that could see Formula 1 drivers receive a points deduction or potential ban for misconduct violations, including swearing.
It was Max Verstappen An order to “perform certain works of public interest” At the end of 2024 after using an expletive during a press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.
The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) summoned FIA president Mohamed Bin Sulayem in November in response to the Formula 1 saga, to which the FIA did not respond at the time.
On Wednesday, an updated version of the 2025 FIA International Sports Code was published on the governing body's website along with details on the “Guidelines for Supervisors' Sanctions” within Appendix B of the document.
Breaching the misconduct regulations on a first occasion will result in a fine of €40,000 (£34,000) being imposed on the Formula 1 driver. A second offense will see a fine of €80,000 (£68,000) and a one-month suspended ban.
The third violation will be punished with a fine of 120,000 euros (102,000 pounds sterling), in addition to a one-month suspension and deduction of championship points.
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Gordon Ramsay gives Sky Sports News' Craig Slater a tour of his pop-up restaurant at the Las Vegas Grand Prix and offers a classic response to the FIA ban
The same scope of sanctions will apply to “any words, actions or writings that cause harm or moral loss to the FIA, its bodies, members or executive officers, and more generally to the interests of motorsport and the values for which the FIA stands.” Financial Intelligence Agency” and “any public incitement to violence or hatred.”
In the event that the driver is found to have violated the “general setting and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments, in particular in violation of the principle of general neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes, unless previously approved in writing by the FIA of international competition bodies , or by the relevant ASN for national competitions within its jurisdiction,” they will be fined and will also have to make a full public apology and withdraw their comments.
What about the maximum penalty?
An F1 driver could also be banned if he is deemed to have “failed to comply with FIA instructions regarding the appointment and participation of persons during official ceremonies in any competition counting towards the FIA Championship”.
One offense will see a fine of €60,000 (£50,000), while a second offense will result in a fine of €120,000 (£101,000) and “suspension of access to the event’s reserved area(s) for the next event” – which effectively means Race ban.
A further offense for failure to comply with ceremony instructions would see a fine of €180,000 (£152,000) and a six-month suspension from racing.
The guidelines document also states that race stewards “have the authority to determine the penalty to be applied” in the event of a breach of the sporting code and that they “reserve discretion to take into account any mitigating and/or aggravating circumstances as well as the nature and location of the event, to adapt the penalty to the specific situation.” .
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Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, Guenther Steiner gave his opinion on Max Verstappen being given community service for swearing at a press conference.
What happened last year between Verstappen, Ben Sulayem and the International Automobile Federation?
The issue of swearing was highlighted after Bin Sulayem said in an interview published on the eve of the Singapore Grand Prix last September that he wanted to see less obscene language, which was broadcast from radio broadcasts on the global F1 TV channel.
He said Formula One should “differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music”, which Lewis Hamilton believed was “stereotypical” language with a “racist element”.
While Ben Sulayem, who became FIA president at the end of 2021 for a four-year term, said he had made the request to Formula 1 itself, the holder of the sport's commercial rights, he also argued that the drivers themselves had a responsibility to mind their language. .
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Max Verstappen was part of the stunning post-qualifying press conference in Singapore where he refused to answer questions comprehensively after a penalty for swearing.
Later on the same day the interview was published, Verstappen was given the Formula 1 equivalent of community service for swearing during a press conference when describing the Red Bull car's performance, resulting in him refusing to provide full answers in the official media appearance that followed during the remainder of the period. From a weekend in Singapore.
Ferrari's Charles Leclerc subsequently received a €10,000 (£8,420) fine for using an expletive in the post-race press conference at the Mexico City Grand Prix in October. Although stewards took into account the fact that Leclerc had issued an immediate apology and appeared remorseful, a fine was still imposed for breaking the rules.
The Grand Prix Drivers' Association, to which all 20 Formula 1 drivers belong, issued a statement in November, touching on several points, including insults and saying “there is a difference between insults to insult others and informal insults, such as yours.” It may be used to describe bad weather conditions, or indeed an inanimate object such as a Formula 1 car, or a driving condition.”
The statement also expressed concerns about fines and what is being done with the money in terms of financial penalties.
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