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Formula One drivers have launched a strong response against FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, demanding to be treated with more respect following a series of ongoing disputes. The criticism comes in the form of an open letter in which drivers urged Ben Sulayem to reflect on his own “language” after he criticized drivers for swearing on team radios and compared their language to that of “rappers.”
Swearing woes
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc have both been penalized for their language in recent weeks. Verstappen, for example, was required to “complete some work of public interest” after referring to his car as “f----d” during the Singapore Grand Prix.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton came to Verstappen’s defense, suggesting that the comments from Ben Sulayem carried a “racial element” as tensions between the FIA and drivers escalated.
The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) has since escalated the issue by formally criticizing Ben Sulayem for his “tone and language.” In the letter, the drivers pointed out that there is a distinction between swearing intended to insult others and more casual swearing that might be used to express frustration, such as when referring to bad weather or a malfunctioning F1 car.
“There is a difference between swearing intended to insult others and more casual swearing, such as you might use to describe bad weather, or indeed an inanimate object such as an F1 car, or a driving situation,” the letter, issued on behalf of the drivers, read.
The drivers went on to demand that Ben Sulayem reconsider his approach, both in his public remarks and in private conversations with them.
“We urge the FIA president to consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers, or indeed about them, whether in a public forum or otherwise. Our members are professional drivers, racing in Formula 1, the pinnacle of international motorsport. They are the gladiators and every racing weekend they put on a great show for the fans.”
The drivers also referenced a long-standing dispute between Ben Sulayem and Hamilton over the issue of wearing jewelry during races, which further fueled their frustration. Hamilton was forced to remove a nose stud before the 2022 British Grand Prix, though he was later granted an exemption by the FIA to wear the piercings due to concerns about potential disfigurement.
The letter also raised concerns about the allocation of fines imposed on drivers, questioning the lack of transparency regarding how these funds are used.
“The GPDA has, on countless occasions, expressed its view that driver monetary fines are not appropriate for our sport. For the past three years, we have called upon the FIA president to share the details and strategy regarding how the FIA’s financial fines are allocated and where the funds are spent. We have also relayed our concerns about the negative image financial fines bring to the sport. We once again request the FIA president provides financial transparency and direct, open dialogue with us," the statement said
The letter concluded with a renewed request for financial transparency and more direct communication between the FIA and the drivers.
In response to the controversy, Ben Sulayem had previously told Autosport that F1 needed to “differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music.” The FIA has yet to comment on the letter or the latest round of criticism from the drivers.
