Ben Sulayem and Verstappen — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

FIA boss hints at MAJOR F1 driver change in swearing row

The FIA have been in conflict with F1 drivers over the last 12 months

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 9 February 2025 20:57

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has hinted at a major Formula 1 change, following driver rows over swearing.

The FIA boss has been under much scrutiny of late, following a plethora of high-profile departures from the governing body, and a number of public rows with star drivers.

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Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was punished for swearing during an official FIA press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix, before ultimately deciding to boycott future press conferences and instead holding his own impromptu media interviews.

Meanwhile, chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) George Russell has openly criticised the FIA for their lack of transparency, and led a joint statement from the drivers asking for better treatment from the sport's governing body.

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Mohammed Ben Sulayem is the FIA president

Max Verstappen was the centre of a swearing row with the FIA

FIA to implement stricter measures?

Now, Ben Sulayem has suggested that drivers could face stricter measures for their lack of 'discipline', proclaiming that it is down to the drivers to follow rules set by the FIA.

In addition to this, Ben Sulayem even hinted that team radios - a staple of modern-day F1 broadcast coverage - could be turned off to protect audiences from hearing bad language.

"When I was racing in rallies, there was something called discipline," Ben Sulayem told media at an FIA officials summit in Madrid.

"And discipline is something very important for us. We live with discipline, the drivers live with discipline. What you say is your responsibility, the rules are there.

"Our riders are ambassadors and send a good message for our sport and federation. I don't know why there is so much fuss, it is a discipline, it has been discussed, it has been approved by the world council, we have a voting democracy.

"Do we go ahead and then turn off the radios? Maybe. Do we delay them? Maybe. There are many things that we will work on now with our promoter, the FIA promoter, we are still the owners of the championship."