Last Updated on January 24 2025, 12:22 pm

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has started 2025 in the fashion ghetto left of in 2024. The controversy he began around the use of ‘bad language’ by drivers in the run up to the Singapore Grand Prix rolls on. 

The controversial character that head up the FIA called for incremental punishment for drivers who swear stating they were not like rappers who “say the f-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That’s them and we are [us].”

Lewis Hamilton predictably opposed the FIA president use of language, suggesting it was racist and used black stereotypes, neither of which have a place in Formula One. In Singapore he told assembled media, “If you think about it, most rappers are black, so it says: ‘We are not like them. ‘ Those are the wrong choice of words and there is a racial element there.”

 

 

 

Battle begins in Singapore

Yet worse was to come. Behind the scenes the stewards had been briefed to ensure the regulations regarding F1 drivers’ bad behaviour were complied with in full and to that end Max Verstappen was handed down an example making punishment of community service for swearing in an official FIA conference.

Ahead of the weekend during the Thursday official FIA media event, Max was questioned over how poorly he  performed last time out in Azerbaijan. He replied: “I don’t know, man. Different set-up. So as soon as I went into qualifying, I knew the car was f*****.” Given Verstappen’s demeanour and live in the moment, there was a hint of suspicion this use of the word “f**k” was a little contrived and the world champion was pushing the boundaries to see what may happen.

Next time out in the USA, Charles Leclerc swore in the same FIA event, but was awarded just a fine, something Verstappen was quick to point out. The FIA responded claiming the difference was that the Ferrari man was immediately apologetic and his fine was reduced to just €5,000.

The GPDA who represent the drivers interest took the highly unusual step of writing an open letter to the FIA in response to the new clampdown. They demanded they be treated like adults and not badgered over underwear ad jewellery and called for the FIA president to modify his controversial language in certain scenarios, if he wished to be taken seriously.

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Red Bull F1 respond

Clearly Ben Sulayem’s response was to escalate matters given the recent publication of the incremental penalties the stewards will hand out this season. For bringing the sport into disrepute, which can mean anything, drivers will now be handed down a €40,000 fine on strike one. Strike two will see them given a one month suspended racing ban and an 80,000 fine and the third strike will cost €120,000 and see the driver banned for a calendar month.

Red Bull Racing have issued their response using a photograph where Max was surrounded by reporters in Singapore, the place this all began. Having received his community service sanction on Thursday, come the FIA press events later in the Singapore weekend, Max simply refused to answer questions, choosing to hold his own press conference later, outside the purview of the FIA.

The picture Red Bull posted is accompanied by the tag, “If we speak…” conjuring up the image of Verstappen refusing to answer questions in the City State. How other drivers may choose to react is as yet unknown, but there could be farcical moments ahead this year.

The matter is merely now a battle for control and given the GPDA offered their olive branch to the FIA pre-Christmas, they will be dismayed about the repose from Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

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F1 drivers mischievous plans

Control is not part of a racing drivers’ psyche and pushing boundaries to the limit is something each and everyone is well practiced in. F1 drivers respect authority given it prevents a free for all on track, yet their persistent persecution by Ben Sulayem may have pushed matters beyond the pale and as Mark Hughes suggests, a back lash inmost likely.

“Far from extinguishing the problem, he might just have inflamed it. Which in comedy sketch terms is a fantastic dynamic,” writer the veteran F1 commentator.

“In such a comedy, what might those mischievous drivers do next? Well, they might claim that the stress imposed upon them by all these directives has given them all Tourettes syndrome, which has caused them to swear involuntarily at random. Because the precise cause of Tourettes is not known, they might suggest that the FIA funds some research into the condition…”

After all, Lewis Hamilton finally procured a sick note in the long running saga over the FIA demanding he remove his jewellery and piercings before entering the cockpit of an F1 car.

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MARTIN BRUNDLE supports FIA

Ex-F1 driver and long standing commentator supports the move by Ben Sulayem and the FIA, arguing F1 drivers should set an example. “I think we’re role models, F1 drivers are role models. You don’t need to gratuitously swear in a press conference, whatever,” he said. “In the heat of the moment, in the car, full of adrenaline, full of despair, happiness, whatever, I get it completely.

“But personally, it doesn’t feel right to me. What I love about Rugby is how they respect the referee and I think Formula 1 should be the same, because you’re role models for all the drivers coming through.”

Brundle goes on to cite examples where these kinds of penalties he believes to be appropriate although he assumes the being dirty on track and breaching track limits is an exact science – which it clearly is not. A response which describes the FIA officials as “idiots” or “stupid”  Brundle believes to be appropriate even outside an FIA approved press event, where the fines would be appropriate.

“I mean there are degrees of this and how heavy-handed you want to be is a whole new story. But I don’t mind there being some rules of our Formula 1 drivers who are great kids being role models. I’m calm with that,” Brundle concludes. Yet he failed to address the elephant in the room of the one month ban.

Wherever you’re paddock loyalties lie, this surely is way too heavy handed and will see certain drivers push the boundaries merely to see if the FIA really have the guts to go through with it.

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Bottas sponsor SHOCK ‘bad boy’ revelations

Valtteri Bottas for now has exited Formula One having been given the vote of no confidence by the Audi masters who control the Kick Sauber team. Both he and team mate Zhou Guangu were given there marching orders as the German powers that be chose the impressive Nico Hulkenberg and Ferrari academy driver older lang with current F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto as their driver line up for the coming season.

The Finnish driver ran a social media campaign over the final race weekends of 2024, enticing his fans as to the future with the slogan “What next?” Of course what happened next was almost entirely predictable as Bottas returned to Mercedes as their chief reserve driver replacing the departing Mick Schumacher.

Of course as reserve driver there is always the potential for one of the fun time pilots to become unavailable as evidenced by Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz in 2023 and 2024 respectively with appendicitis. Franco Colapinto was the Williams reserve and on the sacking of Logan Sargeant he was awarded the final nine Grand Prix weekends of last season… READ MORE