The Formula One drivers association took the unusual step recently of issuing an open letter to the FIA following the fallout of ‘sweargate’ in Singapore. Max Verstappen had dropped the F-bomb in the Thursday official FIA press conference and was later hit by the stewards with a headline penalty of community service.

All this followed comments made by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem which had likened the swearing of the F1 drivers to that of “rappers,” something which Lewis Hamilton took great exception to.

Hamilton argued this was a racist trope and stated the president of the FIA should choose his words more carefully, something the drivers highlighted in their open correspondence.

 

 

 

Drivers react angrily to FIA

“With regards to swearing, 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 a Formula 1 car, or a driving situation,” said the GPDA statement.

“We urge the FIA President to also consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers, or indeed about them, whether in a public forum or otherwise. Further, our members are adults, they do not need to be given instructions via the media, about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery and underpants.”

The latter referred to disputes early in Ben Sulayem’s reign where he asked the race stewards to clamp down on the use of ‘lucky underpants’ and to ensure jewellery was not being worn by the drivers when in the cockpit.

This resulted in a farcical stand off between the FIA and Lewis Hamilton who in effect produced a ‘sick note’ stating the removal of his nose pin would require a surgical procedure.

Schumacher goes after Perez

 

 

 

Russell says its “the wrong direction”

Since the publication of the letter, the FIA has announced the departure of three more key individuals in what looks like some kind of purge across the institution outhouse who will not bow to the wishes of their president. F1 race director, Neils Wittich was sacked with just three races remaining this year the it was the turn of Tim Mayer, the chairman of the stewards and coming into the Qatar Grand Prix it was revealed that Janette Tan who was promoted to run the F2/3/Academy events had also left the building in the famous Place de Concorde.

George Russell was questioned over whether the drivers had received a response to their letter to the FIA to which the reply was negative. ”I’m not too sure if we feel we are being listened to and some of the changes we are requesting are implemented,” he said ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

“There are a number of drivers who feel fed up with the whole situation and only it seems to be going, to a degree, in the wrong direction.”

“Getting things to change or promises upheld seems slightly more challenging,” he said. “Maybe the FIA or the president did not recognise how seriously we all felt.

Verstappen crazy penalty

 

 

 

Ben Sulayem: “Non of their business”

The drivers did finally get a response from Ben Sulayem on the eve of the Grand Prix in Qatar. Speaking for the first time since the drivers had made their feelings known, The president of the FIA stated he was unmoved by any recent criticism suggesting the FIA was in chaos.

When asked specifically about the calls from the drivers, which included demands to stop fining them for misdemeanours, Ben Sulayem was curt. “None of their business. Sorry.”

“With all respect, I am a driver. I respect the drivers. Let them go and concentrate on what they do best, which is race. But okay, you want to know how much we paid in grassroots? I’ll give you: 10.3 million [euro] we invested in grassroots last year. I think that’s a lot of money. In ’24, up to now, over 10 million. Back in grassroots. In karting.”

The drivers had called for transparency over how their fines were being spent by the FIA, and this was Ben Sulayem’s response.

Wolff explains Hamilton’s qualifying weakness

 

 

 

Piastri shoves FIA presiden

“This is our business,” he said when asked about recent events. “We’ll do whatever is good for the FIA. So it’s really none of people’s business to interfere in ours. It’s the results that we produce.”

When pressed as to whether the drivers should have been told their race director had been dropped, Ben Sulayem reasoned: “Do we have to tell them? When something in the teams changes, do they tell us? No, they don’t. Nobody has to. We have the rules, we follow our rules. We don’t follow someone else’s rule. Simple as this.”

Clearly Ben Sulayem’s flip of the bird to the F1 drivers has not gone down well as one incident revealed following the chequered flag falling on another Max Verstappen win.F1 driver shoves the FIA president Ben Sulayem out of his way

https://www.reddit.com/r/formuladank/comments/1h4mndr/thank_you_oscar/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

As Ben Sulayem reaches out to congratulate Oscar Piastri, the young McLaren driver shoves his arm out of the way, pushing past to celebrate with a team mate. “Thank you Oscar,”  was added by the reddit contributor.

Perez part of Red Bull strategy for 2026

 

 

 

Norris race ending penalty from FIA stewards

In his two years in the sport, Oscar Piastri has refused to involve himself in political matters when they raise their head. Yet this extra-ordinary footage reveals the depth of animosity the drivers have towards the FIA president himself.

But there may be another explanation for Piastri’s obvious disapproval given his team mate was given a race ending 10 second top and go penalty which is rarely seen in modern F1.

Norris was accused of failing to slow under double waved yellow flags following a wing mirror falling from the car of Alex Albon. The faulty component lay just off the racing line and race control decided   to leave it in situe, dubiously covering the danger with double waved yellow flags.

Then the inevitable came about, Valtteri Bottas defending his position, moved across to block the inside line. His Kick Sauber ran over the stricken part, sending shards of carbon fibre across the track. Yet it was only following punctures for Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton when the safety car was finally deployed.

Drivers call for FIA action ahead of Qatar GP

 

 

 

 

Russell breaks silence after Verstapen fallout

Max Verstappen and Red Bull returned to being their imperious best on a chilly night in Qatar. The race had been moved to several weeks later in the year than its slot on the Formula One 2023 calendar where in scorching heat a number of the drivers felt ill after the Grand Prix.

This year the Sprint events have been decoupled from those of the Grand Prix, with teams now allowed to change the setup of their cars once the Sprint is concluded. Red Bull got it wrong for the Sprint with Max qualifying just P6 and finishing in the final points paying position.

Checo meanwhile had another early exit from qualifying and was eventually to start from the pit lane as he became the set up guinea pig as Red Bull sought to find a better direction for later in Grand Prix qualifying. What a difference a few hours made… READ MORE