Williams trio of Alexander Albon, Carlos Sainz and James Vowles speak on the FIA stance of potential fines, bans and points cut for swearing from 2025 onward.
Following on from the extensive hunt on swearing during the course of the 2024 F1 season, the FIA brought about a change in the International Sporting Code ahead of the 2025 season which increased the chances of fines, bans and points cut for drivers found to be breaking the behavioural rules.
It includes swearing and other topics like political activism, etc. Out of all the world championships, the F1 drivers would be facing larger fines amounting to 40,000 euros even. The change is some kind of response from the FIA to the letter that the GPDA released at the end of last year.
The drivers asked for fairness on the topic and transparency on where the money is used. But instead the scrutiny is to increase. During the media interaction at the Williams launch, Albon, Sainz and Vowles spoke on the matter, where they were unanimous on the excessive control by the FIA on the topic.
While Sainz and Vowles felt there should be decency from the drivers and team bosses when speaking in press conferences and or in the media, but they are not aligned with excessive control and the fines or bans that they will be subjected too, especially on what they may say on the radio.
Albon: “It’s a tricky question. Of course, I think we deserve our say in our own thing. Especially, I don’t think we don’t want this excessive control over our own opinions. I don’t think any sport has that.”
Sainz: “My thoughts are that F1 drivers should be controlled enough doing press conferences and media appearances to not swear. I am in favour, kind of as a group, to make an effort, 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, [with 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. And 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 stuff that we that we go through inside the car. 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.”
Vowles: “I still trust the FIA. What I look at more is, do we have a set of regulations that are being policed to the right standards? Do we have a 2026 set of regulations that are good at what we’re producing? 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 in and trust? Do I trust they’re being policed? 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?’ I didn’t think we had for many, many months, but we do again as a result of it. So ultimately, yes.”
Here’s more on Williams shakedown
Here’s Williams launching 2025 car
Here’s getting title sponsor
Here’s naming 2025 ambassadors
Here’s Barcelona TPC run
Here’s listing F1 driver academy drivers
Here’s link to a F1 Discord channel, join in to interact
