Language Restrictions by the FIA: What Limits?
Adrian Fourmaux, WRC driver, was penalized for an outburst this weekend, while Dan Ticktum escaped sanction after several profanities during the race in Jeddah. This raises questions about what will happen in Formula 1, given that drivers have already been penalized for radio exchanges during races.
The way the FIA penalizes drivers for their language in 2025 will be closely monitored. If the community service imposed on Max Verstappen had already sparked discussions last year, the situation will be even more tense with the changes in the regulations.
Two situations with swear words, two different judgments
This weekend, Adrian Fourmaux, reflecting on a previous mistake, swore during an interview. As a result, he was fined €10,000 plus a suspended €20,000 this weekend.
On the other hand, Dan Ticktum, a Formula E driver, uttered several curse words during a race in Saudi Arabia. Unlike Fourmaux, Dan Ticktum was not penalized by the FIA, even though he repeatedly engages in such language.
The main difference between these two cases? The context. Adrian Fourmaux’s language slip occurred after a race, whereas Dan Ticktum swore several times in a row but during a race. We can therefore deduce that the FIA distinguishes between the heat of the action with its adrenaline and official communications.
However… sometimes unequal treatment
But will we truly see a fair and meticulous application of the new regulations in the context of F1? Even before the tightening of the rules, drivers have been reprimanded for language slips while in their cars. This is the case for Yuki Tsunoda, for example: « The guys are f****** idiots », he shouted during a qualifying session.
At the same time, there have been several situations where drivers or team managers were not penalized even though they swore in a press conference or at another official event. Will it be the same in 2025, or will the FIA make an effort to truly treat everyone fairly?
Set rules that might evolve
The regulations have recently evolved concerning swear words. For several years, drivers have had their radio communications potentially broadcast on television. Although it’s easy to lose control in the heat of the moment, the FIA, through its President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has attempted to clean up to prevent these untimely broadcasts from tarnishing the image of F1.
The drivers were therefore only sanctioned from the middle of last season, and this update to the regulations is not yet definitive and will probably evolve. The major difference compared to last year is the implementation of specific sanctions with known and rather dissuasive amounts, since we’re still talking about tens of thousands of euros each time.
