Formula 1’s drivers have united to ask the FIA to treat them like “adults” in response to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s recent attempts to curb swearing, and called out his own language.
Ben Sulayem had requested drivers do not swear in FIA press conferences or on team radio ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, prompting criticism from Lewis Hamilton of what he perceived to be a racial element to the president’s comments. Max Verstappen (pictured above, with Ben Sulayem) was given “an obligation to accomplish some work of public interest” for swearing in a press conference in Singapore when describing how his car felt at the previous race, and Charles Leclerc received a fine for a similar incident in Mexico City.
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The drivers have now published an open letter through the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) that is both critical of Ben Sulayem’s approach to the situation, as well as calling for transparency about how such fines are used by the governing body.
“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,” the GPDA wrote. “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 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 jewelry 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.”
While the drivers have been outspoken on the swearing topic individually over the past few races, to issue a statement through the GPDA is a further show of unity that is rarely utilized.