All 20 System 1 drivers have demanded motorsport’s governing physique stops treating them like kids within the wake of a crackdown on swearing.
An open letter from the Grand Prix Drivers Affiliation (GPDA) launched on Thursday gave a vital evaluation of the governing FIA and its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Tensions between the drivers and the FIA have simmered for greater than a 12 months, however the latest monetary punishments handed to 2 drivers for swearing has led to the primary GPDA collective assertion in seven years.
F1 world champion Max Verstappen and Ferrari star Charles Leclerc have been each fined in latest weeks for swearing throughout interviews.
Verstappen referred to his Crimson Bull automotive as “f****d” through the Singapore Grand Prix weekend and was ordered to do group service.
Verstappen refused to talk in FIA press conferences for the remainder of the weekend.
Leclerc was fined 10,000 euros for his slip of the tongue in Mexico Metropolis.
“There’s a distinction between swearing meant to insult others and extra informal swearing, resembling you would possibly use to explain dangerous climate, or certainly an inanimate object resembling an F1 automotive or a driving state of affairs,” the GPDA assertion mentioned.
“We urge the FIA president to contemplate his personal tone and language when speaking to our member drivers, or certainly about them, whether or not in a public discussion board or in any other case.”
The touch upon Ben Sulayem’s tone comes following an interview shortly earlier than Verstappen’s incident, the place he mentioned F1 needed to “differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music”.
Lewis Hamilton was vital of an interview carried out made by the FIA president. (Reuters: Hamad I Mohammed)
That drew the ire of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who thought of these feedback racial.
“Saying ‘rappers’ could be very stereotypical,” he mentioned.
“If you concentrate on it, most rappers are black, so it says: ‘We aren’t like them.’ These are the improper selection of phrases and there’s a racial factor there.”
Hamilton and Ben Sulayem have had a frosty relationship because the latter turned FIA president in December of 2021.
A crackdown on jewelry, which Hamilton had worn, began their strained relationship, and the GPDA criticised it.
“Additional, our members are adults. They don’t must be given directions by the media about issues as trivial because the carrying of jewelry or underpants,” the GPDA assertion mentioned.
The GPDA additionally known as for an finish to financial fines, whereas additionally demanding to know the place the cash from their fines go.
“The GPDA has, on numerous events, expressed its view that driver financial fines will not be acceptable for our sport,” the GPDA mentioned.
“For the previous three years we now have known as upon the FIA president to share the main points and technique concerning how the FIA’s monetary fines are allotted and the place the funds are spent.
“We as soon as once more request the FIA president offers monetary transparency and direct, open dialogue with us. All stakeholders [FIA, F1, the teams and the GPDA] ought to collectively decide how and whether or not the cash is spent for the advantage of the game.”
The FIA has been approached for remark.
