Carlos Sainz recently voiced his discontent over the FIA’s intent to curb swearing among F1 drivers.
The backstory here traces back to earlier this year when the FIA rolled out fresh guidelines on misconduct, outlining severe penalties like race bans and deductions from championship points for offenders.
The spotlight on this issue first lit up during last year’s Singapore Grand Prix. It all started when Max Verstappen ended up doing community service as a consequence for letting loose with some colorful language in an FIA press conference.
Jumping to the present, WRC driver Adrien Fourmaux became the inaugural figure to face punishment under these updated rules, following an on-air profanity.
In discussions with media, including RacingNews365, Sainz openly criticized the FIA’s rigid approach to profanity in media interactions and interviews.
“I’m going to be as frank as I can—during controlled settings like press conferences, drivers ought to have the maturity to keep a lid on swearing,” Sainz expressed candidly.
“I genuinely believe that we should refrain from swearing in such scenarios. I mean, we’re grown-ups, and we should have the presence of mind to say what’s appropriate and avoid what’s not.”
“For me, it boils down to basic education and manners,” he added.
Switching gears, Sainz didn’t shy away from spotlighting a significant difference when it comes to spontaneous outbursts while racing.
“On the topic of what you hear over the radio, I can’t back the current stance, and I believe there should be a level of leniency,” he argued.
“There’s no way to truly grasp the pressure, adrenaline rush, and the raw emotions that flood us when we’re communicating over the radio.”
“Honestly, for F1, these raw expressions are a plus because they peel back the curtain and show you the real driver.”
He elaborated, “As F1 drivers, we’re already bound by restrictions on what we can disclose about our teams and situations; our dialogues are shaped by numerous media briefings.”
“We often get coached on what to say, and what not to say over the radio.”
“But when those emotions erupt and you hear that sheer passion—even if it includes some colorful language—that’s something I feel is integral to F1 and shouldn’t be erased.”
