Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s popularity with F1 drivers continues to decline (Image: Getty)
Alex Wurz, head of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), has revealed that drivers were left in the dark regarding the ’s tweaks to the stewards’ penalty guidelines. F1 stars could now face a championship point deduction for foul language.
The FIA opted to change parts of the international sporting code heading into the 2025 season, and Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s crackdown on driver language continued. The governing body’s outspoken president angered drivers with his comments ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix last year.
Now, after was punished with community service for swearing in the Singapore GP press conference, drivers could face even more severe repercussions. An overhauled version of article 12.2.1 in Appendix B explains the new rules.
The section addresses the following: “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 motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA.”
Under the latest edition of the regulations, as the pinnacle of open-wheel competition, F1 drivers would face a £33,800 (€40,000) fine for their first offence, scaling to an eye-watering £101,400 (€120,000) hit for their third offence and beyond.
As well as the extreme fines, there are also sporting punishments. For repeat offences, drivers can be hit with a one-month suspension from racing and a deduction of championship points.
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Max Verstappen was punished for swearing last season (Image: Getty)
Despite the risks that drivers now face, no F1 stars were consulted during the decision-making process, according to Wurz. “No, there was no consultation,” he explained. “We have read that through the media.
“[There] could be room for improvement that we are working out [these things] together. If there’s a comparison with, for example, the NFL in America, they do have unionisation of NFL players, and they are involved in the process.
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“In this case, we are not involved. I’m not sure if the FIA has involved their own FIA drivers’ commission. That’s something I don’t know about. Let’s hope that we don’t have many fines being collected.”
These changes and the lack of communication between the FIA and the GPDA will do little to improve Ben Sulayem’s popularity among drivers. The 63-year-old has been publicly criticised by and , among others, and has rarely been out of the spotlight in the past 12 months.