The FIA stewards are considering how to respond to Charles Leclerc’s profane language during the post-race press conference at the Mexican Grand Prix, RaceFans understands.
Max Verstappen was ordered to perform an act of “public work” after saying his car was “fucked” during an official pre-race press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.Leclerc also swore during the post-race press conference in Mexico last week. Describing a moment in the race when he came close to crashing, Leclerc said: “I had one oversteer and then when I recovered from that oversteer, I had an oversteer from the other side and then I was like, ‘fuck’.”
Realising his mistake Leclerc said: “Oh, sorry! Oh, no, I don’t want to join Max…”
Verstappen drew attention to the lack of an immediate response by the FIA to Leclerc’s remarks yesterday.
“Apparently it only counts for me,” he said, “because after the race in Mexico, someone was swearing. I didn’t hear anything from it. So, it’s better I don’t swear again.”
RaceFans understands Leclerc’s comments have been referred to the stewards and a response is expected this weekend. The fact Leclerc immediately apologised for swearing, and spoke to the FIA’s media delegate Cameron Kelleher immediately afterwards, is likely to be taken in mitigation.
Verstappen is yet to carry out the punishment he was given in September. He called his penalty “ridiculous” at the time and began limiting his comments in official FIA press conferences in protest.
Drivers have received more severe penalties for offensive language. Yuki Tsunoda was fined €40,000 (£33,900) for using an ableist slur on his radio during the Austrian Grand Prix. Half of the fine was suspended until the end of the season “on condition that no infringement of a similar nature occurs.”
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2024 Mexican Grand Prix
- McLaren have no regrets over pitting Norris shortly before red flag came out
- Leclerc fined, avoids same penalty as Verstappen after apologising for swearing
- Leclerc not in the clear over swearing as Verstappen claims he went unpunished
- Majority of drivers wanted racing rules to change “straight away” – Russell
- Verstappen was “over the limit” with Norris but others would do same – Leclerc
Jojo
1st November 2024, 14:10
It will look bad if the Stewards don’t give Leclerc the same penalty as Verstappen. Actually it looks bad anyway, giving drivers community service when they occasionally slip up with bad language. Ideally they would cancel the community service for Verstappen and admit that it was unnecessary in the first place.
MacLeod (@macleod)
1st November 2024, 14:14
That would be for the best otherwise Max could delay it untill he quits F1 …
AlanD
1st November 2024, 14:24
I think Max was using f-words more frequently and in a more intentional way, and I think he was warned about it, wheras LeClerc has had one slip out when describing a genuine reaction. I’ve nothing against use of that word, which I am skirting around so that my post remains unblocked, just trying to explain why the stewards might not feel more community service is appropriate, and I do feel this is more of a distraction tactic, i.e. people complain about Max and his very questionable driving so he tries to deflect it to Charles and plays the unfair card. I’ll be honest, Max lost a lot of sympathy after his driving last wekeend.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
1st November 2024, 15:20
Yes, I’m not for swearing, but it seems ridiculous to penalise something like that.
Jojo
1st November 2024, 15:42
Verstappen doesn’t normally swear in the press conferences, he also apologised to the stewards and admitted it was a slip of the tongue. He only said the same word as Leclerc and he also only said it once.
I think all the drivers were warned about language. It would be weird if they only singled out Verstappen to warn him. Maybe you think Leclerc didn’t get the memo? If anything he should have been even more aware given Verstappen’s punishment.
This is a completely separate issue from the driving, no matter anyone’s view in that it shouldn’t be a factor. However it happens to be the same stewards that decide penalties for both so it won’t reflect well on them if they are seen to treat drivers differently. Given how stupid it is to penalise swearing, I think they should cancel the community service for Verstappen.
dave
1st November 2024, 17:23
He was more aware, immediately (and hilariously) saying he didn’t want to join Max on the FIA naughty step.
It’s a bit of a ridiculous stance from the FIA
Ludewig
1st November 2024, 17:30
To be fair, both are related to Max being lower class and not having the same sensibilities as those in charge.
Inspector Eisenhorn
1st November 2024, 18:20
MBS is just trying to save Max from making a slip up in SA that costs him his head. And, after all, we don’t want to “sound like rappers” here. It’s honestly all more than just a bit of a three-ring circus and MBS is clearly not the right man for the job.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:27
Max Verstappen is not lower-class. He is from a different culture, but it is every bit the equal of the FIA’s or any particular individual within it.
RomTrain
1st November 2024, 14:17
In the one case it was clearly done in an intentionel provocative manner, in the other case it was a mishap with immediate apologies. So totally different things…
SteveP
1st November 2024, 14:21
Maybe the FIA could sell indulgences, like the Catholic Church used to do.
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 14:52
Careful, they might be listening.
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 17:43
Hahaha
SteveP
1st November 2024, 17:44
Agnostic grandson of a Catholic here, but I did have the FIA money interest in mind as I was typing.
Any proposals for a tariff for a dive-bomb?
Flat rate for all drivers? Tariff as percentage of income, or % income x 1/current WDC position?
Inspector Eisenhorn
1st November 2024, 18:23
Used to do? Someone hasn’t been looking at the Vatican City ledgers recently enough. At least they’ve at least stopped the practice of forging wills and property deeds. It helps that the majority of the public is now literate. That really put a dent in their game.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:26
I think they’re called “fines”.
SteveP
2nd November 2024, 12:09
Payment before delivery gets you a discount – at least I think that was the ethos behind the Indulgence.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
1st November 2024, 15:26
Max is right anyway, as even if they do give Charles any punishment, it took way too long compared to Max who was in trouble instantly. If they were in such a hurry with Max, what’s the delay with Charles?
Mayrton
1st November 2024, 17:44
They are not in Singapore anymore.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:26
@fer-no65 If the FIA has any sense, the delay is that this particular situation makes either the regulation, or press conferences full stop, unworkable.
Jojo
1st November 2024, 15:43
Verstappen doesn’t normally swear in the press conferences, he also apologised to the stewards and admitted it was a slip of the tongue. He only said the same word as Leclerc and he also only said it once.
I think all the drivers were warned about language. It would be weird if they only singled out Verstappen to warn him. Maybe you think Leclerc didn’t get the memo? If anything he should have been even more aware given Verstappen’s punishment.
This is a completely separate issue from the driving, no matter anyone’s view in that it shouldn’t be a factor. However it happens to be the same stewards that decide penalties for both so it won’t reflect well on them if they are seen to treat drivers differently.
David BR (@david-br)
1st November 2024, 16:02
The penalty for Verstappen for swearing was ridiculous and simply highlighted a remark nobody would have noticed otherwise. It’s a realm where drivers should be ‘reminded’ that they’re professionally representing an organization and a sport, but that’s all. They should rescind the sanction on Max rather than doubling down against Leclerc. (Personal abuse or abuse of a particular group of people is another issue obviously.)
Jojo
1st November 2024, 16:11
I agree, it was an embarrassing decision in the first place to issue a driver with community service. Hopefully common sense prevails.
Jonathan
2nd November 2024, 0:20
It was Singapore. The place where they do public caning. You gotta expect extra strictness there…
bernasaurus (@bernasaurus)
1st November 2024, 16:43
Feck and nobblewobs
MichaelN
1st November 2024, 17:34
This is the ‘farce’ part Marx mentioned when discussing history repeating itself.
Let it go. There are no ‘bad words’. Think less of Leclerc or Verstappen if you want to, but let it go.
Alianora La Canta (@alianora-la-canta)
1st November 2024, 19:24
The problem the stewards have is that if they give any penalty whatsoever for this, even a reprimand, they’ve told the drivers they are required to lie in press conference. This defeats the point of the conferences, whether the FIA understands that or not.
The only way this can be properly resolved is to remove the temptation of the FIA to ban truthful answers to journalist questions by removing the rule, swallowing their pride and cancelling Max Verstappen’s penalty. I can well imagine why the FIA did not anticipate the consequences of their actions, but if it wishes to show the professionalism it claims to desire from the drivers, it will have to accept those consequences include it reversing its actions and taking a more humble attitude to future regulations.
EffWunFan (@cairnsfella)
2nd November 2024, 4:21
@alianora-la-canta
Sorry, but I don’t understand the correlation.
S
2nd November 2024, 6:20
I think you are confusing lying with merely wording an explanation – especially in a particular context.
Did he actually say that particular word in his head in the moment in question, or is that strictly how he described the feeling later…?