The Formula 1 Grand Prix Drivers’ Association issued a statement on Thursday calling for better and more respectful treatment from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The FIA has clumsily tried to crack down on what drivers can and cannot do in recent seasons. This year, Max Verstappen was forced to perform community service for swearing during a press conference. Verstappen’s use of profanity came after Ben Sulayem said drivers should watch their language and that he wanted race broadcasts to show fewer clips of drivers using profanity while in their cars.
At the Mexico City Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc let out a bad word in an interview. He was later summoned before the commissioners and fined just over $10,000.
Here is the full GDPA statement:
“As in all sports, competitors must respect the referee’s decision whether they like it or not, even if they agree or not. That’s how the sport works. The drivers (our members) are no different and understand that.
“Our members are professional drivers who compete in Formula 1, the pinnacle of international motorsport. They are gladiators and every race weekend they put on a great show for the fans.
“With regard to bad words, there is a difference between bad words intended to insult others and more informal bad words, such as those that can be used to describe bad weather or even an inanimate object like an F1 car, or a driving situation.
“We urge the FIA President to also consider his own tone and language when speaking to, or even about, our member drivers, whether in a public forum or otherwise. Furthermore, our members are adults, they do not need to be instructed by through the media about such trivial matters as wearing jewelry and underpants.
“The GPDA, on countless occasions, has expressed its view that monetary fines on drivers are not appropriate for our sport. For the last three years, we have asked the FIA President to share the details and strategy on how FIA financial fines are allocated and where the funds are spent. We have also conveyed our concerns about the negative image that financial fines bring to the sport. We once again request that the FIA President provide financial transparency and direct dialogue. open with all interested parties (FIA, F1, the teams and the GPDA) should jointly determine how and where money is spent for the benefit of our sport.
“The GPDA wishes to engage constructively with all stakeholders, including the FIA President, to promote our great sport for the benefit of all who work in it, pay for it, watch it and indeed love it. “We are doing our part.”
In 2022, the FIA said drivers could not wear jewelry in the car. The ban directly affected Lewis Hamilton, who was wearing earrings in the car and had a nose ring.
Hamilton also took issue with the way Ben Sulayem expressed his thoughts on the drivers’ language. Ben Sulayem tried to say that “we have to differentiate between our sport, motorsport and rap music.”
The seven-time champion is the only black driver in the series and said Ben Sulayem’s comparison was very stereotypical and had a racial element.
The next F1 race will be on November 24 at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Verstappen has a 62-point lead over Lando Norris in the drivers’ standings with three races remaining and has a chance to claim his fourth consecutive championship in Las Vegas.