FIA Cracks Down on Driver Language as First Penalty Hits Rally Star

The racing world got a reality check at Rally Sweden last weekend. As fans tracked their favorite drivers and best offshore gambling sites buzzed with betting fever and a slew of odds, few expected the biggest news to come from a post-stage interview. But that’s exactly what happened when the FIA dropped its first penalty under the new behavior rules, hitting Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux with a hefty fine for a single curse word.

The French rally star took a €10,000 hit to his wallet just for swearing during a Rally.TV interview about his previous day’s mistakes. The FIA didn’t stop there; they tacked on another €20,000 fine that hangs over his head for the next year. One more slip-up and that money comes due too.

This tough new stance comes straight from the FIA’s fresh rulebook update. Their new Appendix B spells out exactly what happens when drivers step out of line, and nobody’s exempt. The timing couldn’t be more pointed, with the F1 season about to kick off and teams scrambling to adjust their media training.

Last year was a mess for driver behavior in F1. Yuki Tsunoda got slapped with a €40,000 fine for an ableist comment over team radio. Charles Leclerc had to cough up €10,000 for cursing during a press conference in Mexico City. But the real drama came from Max Verstappen. After swearing in Singapore, the FIA shipped him off to Rwanda for community service. After that, he barely said a word in official press meetings, choosing to talk to reporters in informal gatherings instead.

The FIA finally had enough and wrote up these new rules. For F1 drivers, the stakes are sky-high as they pay four times more than anyone else. One slip costs €40,000, and three strikes could mean kissing €120,000 goodbye. Plus, they might lose championship points or even get banned from races if they keep messing up.

Fourmaux got lucky. The stewards cut him some slack since English isn’t his first language, and he was just beating himself up, not trash-talking anyone else. His quick apology helped too. But the message was crystal clear; the FIA means business this time.

The stewards went into full lecture mode explaining why this matters. Sure, people swear more these days, they said, but racing hits different cultures and age groups worldwide. They want drivers to act like the role models they’re supposed to be.

For F1 teams heading into the new season, starting with next week’s F1 75 Live event, this means a whole new headache. Their drivers need to watch every word, not just during races but in press conferences, on social media, and basically anywhere public. One wrong word could cost them serious cash or even mess with their championship chances.

The FIA wrote the rules pretty broad too. Any language or gesture that might offend someone could land a driver in hot water. That gives the stewards plenty of room to interpret what crosses the line.

Teams across every racing series are sweating bullets right now, especially in F1. With four times the normal fines, their drivers need monk-like control over their emotions. That’s no small ask in a sport where split-second decisions and high-pressure moments come standard.

Nobody knows how this will play out once the real action starts. Some say it’ll make racing too sterile, while others think it’s about time someone cleaned up the sport’s image. One thing’s for sure: the days of drivers speaking their minds without a filter are over. The FIA just proved they’re not bluffing about these new rules, and Fourmaux’s wallet is €10,000 lighter to prove it.

The big question floating around the paddock isn’t if we’ll see more penalties; it’s who’s going to be next. With the F1 season right around the corner and tempers sure to flare, smart money says we won’t have to wait long to find out.