FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem recently announced his intention to reconsider the strict and controversial rules surrounding swearing. After announcing in 2024 his intention to crack down on drivers using swear words during official press moments, the FIA threatened this year with sky-high fines for foul language. In response to feedback from drivers, Sulayem now wants to backtrack on these stringent regulations.
During the winter break, the infamous Annex B was added to the FIA’s International Sporting Code. This outlines the penalties drivers risk if they use swear words or make other statements that could potentially harm the FIA’s moral standing or undermine the organization’s standards. A first offense results in a fine of ten thousand euros; a second offense raises that amount to a whopping twenty thousand euros. A third offense risks a fine of thirty thousand euros, deduction of World Championship points, and even a suspension.
In 2024, the FIA already took a hard line against swearing drivers. For instance, Max Verstappen was given a community service order for using the word fucked during an official press conference. Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc later received a monetary fine for a similar offense. This year, no Formula 1 drivers have yet been penalized under the new, stricter rules. However, rally driver Adrien Fourmaux was recently fined after he used a swear word in a television interview.
Sulayem Reconsiders
Understandably, this led to a great deal of outrage among the drivers. Moreover, the new rules within Formula 1 were criticized upon their introduction. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, in response to ‘constructive feedback’ – or rather, a wave of negative reactions – wants to reconsider the penalties surrounding swearing. “In light of constructive feedback from drivers, I am considering making improvements to Appendix B,” he wrote on Instagram. “As a former driver, I understand better than most people the standards they are held to.”
“Appendix B is a vital part of the International Sporting Code and plays a crucial role in keeping the sport accessible,” he added. “People make the rules and people can improve the rules. This principle of continuous improvement is something I have always believed in and forms the core of everything we do at the FIA.” The FIA has already made it clear to Formula 1 drivers that foul language in the heat of the moment is not punishable.
