The GPDA "urges the president of the FIA to take into account his own tone and language."

The GPDA is the Grand Prix Driver Association. It is the association of F1 drivers who meet from time to time and is co-chaired by several drivers. Including George Russell at the moment. Drivers have been targeted by the FIA for "misbehavior" for several weeks.

A few weeks ago, Max Verstappen, upset during a press conference, had sworn and then found himself sanctioned with community service by the FIA. He had notably asked journalists to leave the FIA press conference to speak freely in public afterwards in the paddock.

A few weeks later, it is Charles Leclerc who is sanctioned for having also sworn during a press conference using a swear word to describe his performance. The FIA then decided to give him only a financial penalty.

By all appearances, the drivers are starting to get tired of being infantilized by the federation. They willingly accept the rules dictated by the referee, but they want to have their say on how to express themselves.

«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 Drivers (our members) are no different, and fully understand that. » starts the statement.

The GPDA wishes to distinguish between the intention to insult someone and the act of saying a swear word in a situation that does not target anyone in particular.

« 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. »

Reframe Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

The statement does not stop there. The drivers are notably asking the FIA and its president to review their attitude.

« 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. »

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA since 2021, has been particularly notable for his sometimes surprising comments and reactions towards drivers or against Red Bull, for example, during the FIA Gala two years ago, in December 2022.

The GPDA, which only very rarely speaks in public, particularly expressed its dissatisfaction with the period when wearing jewelry (such as earrings) was prohibited while in the cockpit. An prohibition that had caused a lot of noise in the media and that the drivers feel has taken on proportions that are far too important for such a trivial subject.

« Further, our members are adults, they do not need to be given instructions via the media, about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery and underpants. »

« The GPDA has, on countless occasions, expressed its view that Driver monetary fines are not appropriate for our Sport. »

Make the money collected from fines transparent

Fines are normally used by FIA to create project and benefit to people in automotive environment or security.

« The GPDA has also been surprised for several years by the lack of information on where the money collected from financially penalizing drivers goes.» continue the document.

« For the past 3 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. » the statement concludes.