GPDA release statement criticising FIA’s treatment of F1 drivers

After criticism from FIA President (Mohammed Ben Sulayem) with regards to swearing during Grand Prix weekends, the Grand Prix Drivers Association have issued a statement directly addressing the FIA, asking them to reconsider their view, requesting that the drivers be treated like adults. This comes after Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc both received fines for swearing during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and Mexico City Grand Prix respectively.

Ben Sulayem is also directly addressed in the statement, which urges the him to ‘consider his own tone and language’

The statement argued that swearing is often an impulse reaction, particularly for those driving in “the pinnacle of international motorsport”, and pushing their bodies to the absolute limit week after week. The GPDA equally distinguished swearing which directly offends someone with “more casual swearing”, using examples such as describing bad weather, or a driving situation to explain this.

Ben Sulayem is also directly addressed in the statement, which urges the him to “consider his own tone and language when talking to [our] member drivers, or indeed about them”. This comes after the FIA President was criticised by Lewis Hamilton for making stereotypical comments which contained a “racial element”- when sharing his opinion on the presence of swearing in F1, Ben Sulayem expressed the need to “differentiate our sport… and rap music”.

The statement equally picked up on “trivial” issues related to jewellery, and even the drivers’ underwear which have previously come under scrutiny from the sport’s governing body: the FIA President is reminded that “our members are adults”.

More than £300,000 worth of fines have been issued so far this season

The member drivers also expressed their unhappiness at the use of fines as a punishment, a view which has been communicated previously. They believe this gives the sport a “negative image”, especially considering that more than £300,000 worth of fines have been issued so far this season.

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc both received financial punishments after their use of explicit language in press conferences; Verstappen received a €40,000 fine and was instructed to complete “work of public interest”, whereas Leclerc was only fined €10,000 with €5,000 suspended “pending no repeat within 12 months”. The difference between these incidents is that Leclerc was immediately apologetic, whilst Verstappen chose to retaliate by offering basic, unelaborate responses in the next press conference.

The committee has emphasised their desire to ‘collaborate in a constructive way’ with all stakeholders

The other issue that the GPDA has with fines is that they are unaware of “how the FIA’s financial fines are allocated and where the funds are spent”. As a result, the committee (made up of ex-F1 drivers such as Chairman, Alex Wurz; Directors, Sebastian Vettel and current F1 driver George Russell, as well as the first non-driver to become a director of the GPDA, Anastasia Fowle) has emphasised their desire to “collaborate in a constructive way” with all stakeholders (including F1, the FIA, the GPDA and the teams themselves) being able to “jointly determine how and where the money is spent for the benefit of our sport”.

It is certainly clear then that the GPDA members are not content with the FIA’s leadership, particularly considering that George Russell revealed during a press conference ahead of the Las Vegas GP that they have received no response from the governing body As a result, all drivers are feeling “fed up” due to a complete lack of engagement from those in charge of their sport.