Salty language is at the core of probably every competition on Earth and Formula 1 racing is no different. As drivers and teams push the limits to go ever fast, inevitably, more than a few curse words come out. But F1 is also a made-for-TV global product, and, now, its overseers would like to hear fewer four-letter words from drivers, at least in public.
The FIA, which is the sport’s governing body, issued new regulations on Wednesday with penalties for salty language and other types of “misconduct” in Formula 1. The penalties include potential fines, racing bans, and deductions of championship points.
Misconduct is defined as, “the general use of language (written or verbal), gesture and/or sign that is offensive, insulting, coarse, rude or abusive and might reasonably be expected or be perceived to be coarse or rude or to cause offense, humiliation or to be inappropriate,” in addition to physical assault and incitement to do “any of the above,” according to Motorsport.com.
The potential fines range from $41,600 for a first offense, $84,104 for a second offense, and $126,156 for a third offense. The second offense also comes with a suspended one-month ban, while the third offense comes with a one-month ban and deduction of championship points. There is also room in the guidelines for stewards to consider mitigating circumstances and issue lesser penalties as they see fit.
The issue came to a head last season after current champion Max Verstappen cursed at the Singapore Grand Prix, and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said that he wanted less cursing on F1’s TV feed. Verstappen was penalized with community service but also protested by refusing to answer questions at some press conferences afterward.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was also punished last season for using a curse word at a press conference in Mexico in October and fined the equivalent of $10,514. That punishment was less than Verstappen’s in part because, at the press conference, Leclerc realized his mistake immediately.
“Oh, sorry! Oh, no, oh no! I don’t want to join Max!” Leclerc said then.
