Talking following the Williams launch event and shakedown, drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, as well as team boss James Vowles, shared their thoughts on the FIA swearing ban and potential penalties for a breach.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been vocal about clamping down on the driver’s usage of swear words during official media sessions. He also suggested terminating the transmission of team radio messages despite them being censored.
Max Verstappen was punished with community service for his usage of a swear word while describing the state of his Red Bull in a press conference. Charles Leclerc was handed a fine after he slipped up during a post-race conference last year in Mexico.
The FIA has since outlined the penalties that could be issued to drivers if they breach the rules in the future.
Sainz on the ban
Questioned about the penalties that could result in a driver facing a fine of up to EUR 40,000, Carlos Sainz jokingly replied, “Only?”
The hefty fine could be considered a light penalty as drivers could also face a race ban after receiving the third strike.
Sainz feels that drivers should be able to refrain from swearing during press conferences or interviews.
However, the Spaniard also notes that drivers should not be policed for what they say in the car in the heat of the moment.
“Only a race ban? I expected more, even more. No, I’m joking.
“What are my thoughts? My thoughts are that F1 drivers should be controlled enough during press conferences and media appearances to don’t swear.
“And I am in favour, kind of, to, as a group, to make an effort, to, when all the kids are watching us, in press conferences or in front of the media, to at least have good behaviour and decent vocabulary. I think that’s not very difficult.
“Do we need fines, or do we need to be controlled for that? I don’t know. But I’m in favour of always being well-spoken and well-mannered in front of microphones and in front of media.
“At the same time, do I think this is too much for radio communication and the adrenaline and the pressure that we have inside the car?
“Yes, I think it’s too much.
FIA ban will prevent drivers from showing real emotions
Sainz laments that there is also a difference between swearing to offend someone or showing frustration or dismay in response to what happens on the track. Mentioning that viewers might miss experiencing the race’s various aspects, including the driver’s emotions.
“What the FIA is trying to achieve with bans and everything, because, for me, that’s a fundamental part of the sport, where you guys get to see the real emotion and real pressure and the real excitement on the voice and even sometimes, unfortunately, the vocabulary of a racing driver.
“As long as it’s not offensive words towards anyone and it’s just a swearing word where you just can see I’m being emotional, I don’t think that should be too controlled because then you guys are going to miss out on a lot of the stuff that we go through inside the car.
“And yet, trust me, you don’t want to put a microphone inside a football pitch and see what the guy is saying inside a football pitch, which is an equivalent situation.”
Alex Albon on the FIA clampdown
Sainz’s Williams teammate Alex Albon noted that the ban is far-reaching and that there is no comparable set of regulations in any other sport.
“But yes, it’s a tricky question.
“Of course, I think we deserve our say in our own things. I don’t think, especially, we don’t want this excessive control over our own opinions.
“I don’t think any sport has that.”
James Vowles
Williams team principal James Vowles shared similar sentiments to Carlos Sainz.
He believes that reactions on track are quite different from how they respond when speaking during official media obligations.
Vowles batted away the question somewhat as he mentioned how the FIA is handling 2026.
“I mean, I still trust the FIA. We have to be clear that there are bits we can pick up on any one set of individuals, but ultimately, what I look at more is do we have a set of regulations that are being released to the right standards?
“Do we have a 2026 set of regulations that are good in what we’re producing? And the answer to all of that is fundamentally yes.
“We’re picking up on some pinch points, which are around whether drivers should or shouldn’t be talking that way.
“Now, my perspective is fairly clear on that one. When you’re in the car under pressure, I think it’s normal to expect any human to respond that way because you are putting your life on the line at the extreme.
“Outside of that, I do also think that we have a responsibility towards the world, and hopefully I don’t get caught out by my own words here, but I think you’re looking at a very small element.
“I look at the FIA as a whole, which is, do we have a set of regulations that I believe and trust?
“Do I trust they’re being released? And the answer to both of those is correct. Yes, I do.
“And then finally, do I look at 2026 and go, do we have a good set of regulations, which I didn’t think we had for many, many months, but we do again as a result of it.
“So ultimately, yes,” concluded Vowles.
