F1 drivers who swear could be fined €80,000, under new FIA rules

The FIA ​​has published a series of penalty guidelines for stewards that could result in Formula One drivers receiving fines or championship points penalties for swearing or other breaches of the sporting code. It is an extension of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s controversial call last season for F1 drivers to limit their use of profanity.

The FIA ​​published an updated version of its sporting code on Wednesday with guidelines for offenses committed under Article 12, particularly in relation to professional misconduct.

The governing body defines misconduct as “the general use of language (written or verbal), gesture and/or sign that is offensive, insulting, crude, rude or abusive and which could reasonably be expected or perceived to be rude or crude or to cause offense, humiliation or inappropriate behavior”, “assault (nudges, kicks, punches, blows, etc.)” and “incitement to do any of the above “.

These guidelines also include basic fines, multiplied by four for F1 drivers.

Committing an offense within the scope of the fault carries a base fine of €10,000 for the first offense – which becomes €40,000 for an F1 driver, rising to a base fine of €20,000 (€80,000 in F1) and one month suspended suspension for second offense.

Another example concerns a fine of €30,000 (€120,000 in F1) with “1 month suspension plus deduction of Championship points”.

Similar sanctions will be imposed for “any words, acts or writings having caused moral harm or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its managers, and more generally to the interest of motor sport and the values defended by the FIA. FIA” and “any public incitement to violence or hatred”.

The FIA ​​also imposed the same fines for “the dissemination and general display of political, religious and personal statements or comments, notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA ​​in its Statutes, unless prior written authorization is given by the FIA. FIA for International Competitions, or by the competent ASN for national competitions under their jurisdiction”, while demanding that the drivers make a full public apology for their remarks and retract their comments.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

Furthermore, more severe sanctions will be imposed for any “non-compliance with FIA instructions regarding the nomination and participation of persons in the official ceremonies of any Competition counting towards an FIA Championship”.

This starts with a fine of €15,000, with a fine of €30,000 for another infraction, plus “suspension of access to restricted areas of the event for the next event” — which can include everything from the track, the paddock, the parc ferme, and the media areas.

Additionally, failure to follow the ceremony’s instructions will be punished with a fine of €45,000 plus a six-month suspension from defined restricted areas – again, with all fines once again multiplied by four for drivers of F1.

In other world championships – for example the World Rally Championship and the World Endurance Championship – these base fines have a multiplier of three, while FIA ​​regional championships receive a multiplier of two. Other series outside those defined (e.g. F4 national championships) receive the basic fines.

The International Sporting Code has also received additional clauses, including offenses for any failure to comply with environmental guidelines set by the governing body.

There are also other additions for impermissible protests; a protest will now require individual applications for each topic. The sporting code also specifies that “any protest against the decision of the sports commissioners will be inadmissible”.