WRC Drivers: FIA Swearing Ban 'Has Reached An Unacceptable Level'

Following Hyundai WRC driver Adrien Fourmaux receiving a 30,000 Euro fine for admitting he "f**ked up" in a Rally.TV live stream during last week's Rally Sweden, the World Rally Drivers Alliance has issued an official joint statement condemning the swearing ban as unacceptable. It calls the fines exorbitant and says the FIA's lack of transparency negatively impacts the public perception of the sport worse than any swearing might. The Grand Prix Drivers Association issued a similar statement in 2024 following Max Verstappen being required to complete community service for swearing in a press conference. The WoRDA has asked for a meeting with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to seek an "urgent solution" to the swearing ban. 

Racing drivers have historically been heavy users of "swear words," practically substituting them for punctuation, and the average rally driver cusses enough to make a sailor blush. These guys are literally risking their lives in the pursuit of speed and entertainment, and many of them aren't even native English language speakers, seemingly learning the colloquial use of curses by osmosis. Ben Sulayem, meanwhile, has seemingly made it his pet project to push a draconian penalty on any driver who uses swear words in any context or for any reason. Unlike their Formula 1 counterparts, WRC drivers are typically not paid tens of millions of dollars per year, or come from wealthy family money, so a 30,000 Euro fine comes with potentially devastating financial consequences. 

As a reminder of how these penalties work, a first offense comes with a minimum fine of 10,000 Euro. If caught swearing again, the driver receives a minimum 20,000 Euro fine. A third offense is met with a 30,000 Euro fine, a one-month FIA competition suspension, and a deduction of Championship points. The monetary value of these fines is multiplied by a factor of four when the offending driver is in the Formula 1 paddock. This penalty isn't limited just to swearing, however, as it also includes "verbal/physical abuse, and making/displaying political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its statutes." The FIA wants its drivers to be mindless automatons with no opinion or individual expression.

Fourmaux became the first driver to be sanctioned under the FIA's new war on "inappropriate language" and it would seem his fellow rallyists are stepping in behind him to offer support in the form of attempted collective bargaining. The statement was signed by many Rally 1 drivers and co-drivers, leading members of the WRC2 field, and television presenter Julien Ingrassia:

The Rally Drivers and Co-drivers of WoRDA, inspired by their GPDA colleagues, join together to express their opinion, seek clarity and co-operate towards a brighter future.

First and foremost, we wish to state that, as is the case with every sport, competitors must abide by the Referee's decision. The respect of this principle is not in question. We are not all full-time professionals, yet we all face the same extreme conditions with the same relentless passion.

Whether navigating through dense forests, across frozen roads in the dead of night, or through the dust of treacherous gravel tracks, we push ourselves to the limit – against the elements, against the clock, and against our own limits. Beyond racing, our role has expanded. Today, rally drivers and co-drivers are not only athletes but also entertainers, content creators, and constant media figures.

From the smartphones of spectators to the official WRC cameras, we are expected to be available at all times – before, during, and after competition, from dawn to dusk.

WoRDA has always recognised our responsibilities and commitment to collaborate in a constructive way with all stakeholders, including the FIA President, in order to promote and elevate our outstanding Sport for the benefit of all.

In recent months, however, there has been an alarming increase in the severity of the sanctions imposed for minor, isolated and unintentional language lapses. This has reached an unacceptable level."

We strongly believe that:

• Common colloquialism cannot be considered and judged as equal to genuine insult or an act of aggression.
• Non mother-tongue speakers may use or repeat terms without full awareness of their meaning and connotation.
• Seconds after an extreme adrenaline spike, it is unrealistic to expect a perfect and systematic control over emotions.
• Rally is Extreme: risk level for the athletes, intensity of the focus, length of the days... all the limits are reached.

In such a case we question the relevance and validity of imposing any sort of penalty. Moreover, the exorbitant fines are vastly disproportionate to the average income and budget in rallying.

We are also concerned with the public impression these excessive sums create in the minds of the fans, suggesting this is an industry where money doesn't matter.

This also raises a fundamental question where does the money from these fines go?

The lack of transparency only amplifies concerns and undermines confidence in the system. Surely the negative impressions surrounding these penalties far outweigh the impact of any language lapse.

We call for a direct communication and engagement between the FIA President and WoRDA members to find a mutually agreeable and urgent solution.

Sportingly, The Rally Drivers and Co-drivers members of WoRDA:

Sebastien Ogier, Kalle Rovanpera, Ott Tanak, Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Jonne Halttunen, Martin Jarveoja, Vincent Landais, Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Grégoire Munster, Louis Louka, Takamoto Katsuta, Aaron Johnston, Martins Sesks, Francis Renars, Sami Pajari, Marko Salminen, Josh McErlean, Eoin Treacy, Candido Carrera, Gus Greensmith, Jonas Andersson, Yohan Rossel, Arnaud Dunand, Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Leo Rossel, Guillaume Mercoiret, Dani Sordo, Julien Ingrassia.

I, for one, fully support the drivers in their efforts. The FIA has barged into this fight without giving it a second thought and if the ban remains enforced as it is written, the sport will suffer greatly and championships will be affected. These are drivers who risk their lives week in and week out for the entertainment of fans all over the world. Who really cares if they do a little swear every now and again?