Last Updated on September 21 2024, 3:10 am

The role of the FIA in Formula One is simple. They in association with the teams agree the technical and sporting regulations and then enforce them. Yet the policeman of F1 has failed in its duty whilst issuing silly orders over driver swearing over team radio, when the broadcast is already censored.

Broadcasting the team’s radio adds to the drama of an F1 race and Formula One have over the years increased the amount of conversation between the drivers and the teams that the Tv audience get to hear.

Each of the cars now can be watched from inside their cockpits alongside the main TV broadcast feed and their messages to and from the team are broadcast there too.

 

 

 

Swearing used to disguise secret F1 team instructions

It was once a paddock ‘in joke’ that if the engineers wanted to relay some private information to their driver but did not want it played out for other teams to hear, they would curse immediately before and after the message knowing it would be censored for the world feed.

With the advent of better technology, these messages are now quickly censored by the bleep machine and its owner and the message can sill be broadcast to the Tv audience and de facto the competition.

So what is there to get offended about? The swearing is bleeped out but the drivers passion in the moment remains plain for all to hear?

Well clearly it has upset the delicate sensitivities of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who just like his jewellery ban and subsequent row, has upset those in the paddock with the latest edict.

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F1 drivers compared to rappers

“They say the ‘f’ word how many times per minute?” he asked when speaking to Autosport. He went on to compare F1 driver swearing to that of rappers, whose music is often filled with expletives, much to the ire of Lewis Hamilton who called it racist (but that’s another story).

Formula One world champion Max Verstappen is the first to fall foul of the FIA ban on swearing he was punish with a fine for using ‘bad language’ during a press conference governed by the FIA. The world champion driver is now obliged “to accomplish some work of public interest”, said a panel of FIA stewards, after the Dutch driver used the F-word in Thursday’s drivers’ press conference which was broadcast live.

The Audi transcript was reviewed in Verstappen’s presence after the first practice session and he was deemed to have used language, “which is generally considered ‘coarse, rude’ or may ‘cause offence’ and is not considered suitable for broadcast,” read the stewards’ decision.

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Verstappen punished by FIA for using the F-word

“The stewards noted that the language was not directed at anyone or any group… the driver explained that the word used is ordinary in speech as he learned it, English not being his native language,” continued the verdict.

“While the stewards accept that this may be true, it is important for role models to learn to be mindful when speaking in public forums, in particular when not under any particular pressure.

“Verstappen apologised for his behaviour.”

There is a global war on free speech at present with the criteria of unacceptable comments often used as the fact someone has been offended. While certain religions may not allow the satirical representation of their God and find it offensive, they also in some regions where the religion is practised, cut off the hand of a starving thief, which others may find offensive too.

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FIA failing in its duty to scrutinise

Were this the only burning issue in F1, then some may feel the FIA clampdown on expletives was fair game. Yet F1’s governing body have been failing to do their job properly when it comes to scrutineering the Formula One cars.

It has been clear for some time that Mercedes and McLaren have been using both front and rear wings which flex excessively. Of course they pass the static weight load test applied by there FIA but this does not represent the dynamic nature of a car hurtling around a circuit at over 200 miles an hour.

Following weeks of complaints from competitors, the FIA finally decided prior to the Belgium GP to fit cameras to the F1 cars to study the significant defection taking place on each teams main aerodynamic platforms.

Prior to last weeks Singapore Grand Prix they declared each team was in fact compliant only to look extremely foolish come the race in Baku. Video’s of Oscar Piastri’s rear wing went viral amongst the fans as it was crystal clear the rear wing of the McLaren was deforming significantly when under load along the straights.

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McLaren F1 rear wing an obvious cheat

Many F1 commentators described it as McLaren’s “mini DRS” and Red Bull presented their own case to the FIA stating via AMuS that it was worth around 8kph and about 0.2 seconds a lap. Over the full race distance in Baku this is more than ten seconds less of race time.

There was even a gap between the rear wing elements on the McLaren, before the DRS zone was entered and the teams are allowed to open the rear wing.

In F1 days of yore, the FIA did not have the technical capabilities to police the guiles the teams conspired to bring. They relied on other teams protesting one of their competitors, then they would act to check out the accusations.

In recent times the FIA has a far more experienced technical delegation and should have been able to see what fans around the world could, along with Red Bull Racing.

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Red Bull press FIA to act

Thanks to Red Bull’s intervention, the FIA have now banned an element of McLaren rear wing, finally deciding it was in breach of the technical regulations. But Dr. Hemut Marko doesn’t want them to stop there. He suggested on Friday the front wing on the McLaren looked iffy and the FIA will be again obliged to look at any new evidence presented from the teams.

The proof of the pudding will come in Las Vegas as to whether McLaren have been using illegal component designs. As with Baku, the back straight is huge at 1.9km long and is the main place to overtake cod the race in November.

Should McLaren win in the Nevada dessert, then the FIA’s new ruling will fade into F1 history. Yet if the team are beaten, its inevitable that many F1 observers will claim there current performance advantage was due to the “illegal” flexi wings.

Maybe F1’s governing body should focus on making sure the playing field is level, rather than banning free speech.

Verstappen coyly observed coming into this weekend, that if F1 was less bad language then maybe they should be less intrusive with the team’s and their personnel. Of course Liberty Media want the drama to remain and so for now drivers will be receiving token fines and just continue as is.

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