FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem took a hardline stance against Formula 1 drivers using foul language during race weekends starting last September. For the 2025 season, the FIA revealed amendments to the International Sporting Code on Wednesday, featuring draconian punishments for repeated swearing or criticizing the governing body. The world championship’s outspoken stars could face points deductions and a one-month suspension.
Last season’s change in policy was made at President Ben Sulayem’s personal discretion. In public statements ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, he played the puritanical “children are watching these races” card and suggested that Formula One Management better censor television broadcasts. FOM, being an independent entity, didn’t entertain that idea in the slightest.
The FIA took matters into its own hands and decided to policy drivers directly with the rules on the books. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen was sentenced to community service when he said, “The car was fucked,” after asked why his then-teammate Sergio Perez was faster than him in Baku. All of F1’s drivers were so appalled by Ben Sulayem’s actions that the Grand Prix Drivers Association sent him an open letter telling Sulayem to back off on swearing. It is important to note that the GPDA is not a union and doesn’t collectively bargain with the FIA or the teams.
Instead the FIA ignored the drivers and decided to double down, imposing potential punishments far harsher than community service, according to the Race. Swearing and criticizing the FIA now carries a $10,400 fine for the first offense, and a $20,800 fine and a one-month suspension for the second offense. The third offense over a two-year period carries a ridiculous punishment: a $31,200 fine, a deduction of championship points and a one-month suspension.
For clarity’s sake, I’m using “criticism of the FIA” as a catch-all term to referring a wordy ISC clause banning:
“Any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motor sport and on the values defended by the FIA.”
Verstappen teased that he would consider an early retirement if this continued. It’s not yet clear how the drivers will respond to these new punishments, but they have backed down over far worse. The drivers last threatened a boycott in 2022 after Houthi rebels attacked an Aramco refinery near the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix circuit. They were talked out of it, and the race went on as planned.