Excessive punishment for swearing in F1?

The debate surrounding the use of profanity in Formula 1 may be about to be resolved. On the eve of the Miami Grand Prix, the president of F1 's governing body announced that "improvements" will be made to the penalties imposed for cursing or criticism, a decision that has generated criticism among several drivers in the category.

International Automobile Federation President Mohammed Ben Sulayem posted on Instagram yesterday, Monday, that after receiving "constructive feedback" from drivers at the various FIA-run events, "I am considering making improvements to Appendix B."

This is the document that establishes punishments for a variety of offenses, ranging from physical violence to political statements, the use of foul language, and any comment deemed to cause "moral damage or loss" to the FIA . The base fine for an F1 driver is set at 40,000 euros ($45,500).

It's not clear that swearing is more common in F1 than in other sports. With in-car radio feeds and camera crews all over the paddock, drivers are under more scrutiny than almost any other sportsperson.

"In other sports, you don't walk around with a microphone attached to you. I think a lot of people say a lot of bad things when they're pumped up in other sports. It just doesn't get picked up," Verstappen said last year.

Several drivers have also called for a lenient approach to profanity out of frustration on the radio during a race , if a non-native English speaker uses a word without being sure of its meaning, or if drivers use a swear word to describe themselves or their own car, not other people.

Verstappen suggested it should be a problem for the rights holders, not the drivers. The four-time champion said last year that TV shows include drivers cursing "probably for entertainment purposes as well."

"I think the first step is not to broadcast it," Verstappen said.

Ben Sulayem has sought to crack down on profanity since last year, and punishments were toughened by 2025 to allow for larger fines and suspensions for drivers who repeatedly swear.

From the beginning, his efforts have attracted controversy.

"We have to differentiate between our sport— motorsport —and rap music. We're not rappers, you know," Ben Sulayem said when announcing his plans last year in an interview with motorsport.com.

Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, who is Black, said there was a "racial element" to Ben Sulayem's comments.

The crackdown on profanity sparked a backlash from F1 drivers when Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc were punished last year. Leclerc was fined, and Verstappen was asked to make amends with community service for describing his car with a swear word. World Rally drivers boycotted TV interviews last month after one of them was fined.

It's not just about the profanity. After the last F1 race in Saudi Arabia, Verstappen refused to comment on a penalty that cost him the lead because, he suggested, any criticism risked violating FIA rules.

When he was sent off for explicit language while protesting a referee's decision in February, Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham sparked a debate about where football should draw the lines of what is acceptable.

The "audible obscenity" rules in tennis are one example where a player could be fined for using a swear word about themselves or their game, similar to some of the incidents that have concerned F1 drivers.

Much will depend on the content of any changes Ben Sulayem introduces. So far, he seems to be focusing on how the punishments work, not on changing the rules themselves.

There was already a sign of a more flexible approach when Carlos Sainz Jr. was not fined for using a swear word at a press conference while protesting another fine for being late for a national anthem.

Ben Sulayem's four years in office have been marked by repeated clashes with drivers and senior management. A change in the profanity could mean less tension ahead of a possible re-election later this year.

"Humans make the rules, and humans can improve the rules. The principle of constant improvement is something I've always believed in and is at the heart of everything we do at the FIA," wrote Ben Sulayem.

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