WRC drivers respond to FIA's swearing clampdown

The World Rally Championship drivers and co-drivers have issued a statement urging cooperation with the FIA regarding the motorsport governing body’s swearing clampdown.

New rules introduced by the FIA earlier this year sanction drivers in its series for “any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motor sport and on the  values defended by the FIA,” as outlined in Appendix B: Stewards Penalty Guidelines of the FIA International Sporting Code. The sporting code outlines a €10,000 fine for a first offence, a €20,000 fine plus a suspended one-month suspension for a second offence, and a €30,000 fine, one-month suspension, and the deduction of championship points for a third offence.

Last November, after Max Versteppen was hit with a community service punishment for swearing in an FIA press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix, the Grand Prix Drivers Association penned a letter calling for collaboration with the FIA, and urging the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to “consider his own tone and language when talking to our member driver, or indeed about them”.

Before that, eight-time WRC champion Sebastien Ogier was issued a €30,000 fine for criticizing officials at Rally Chile in September, with the Frenchman and 2019 WRC champion Ott Tanak subsequently giving short answers in official interviews afterwards, much as Verstappen did following his own punishment.

Now, inspired by the GPDA’s statement and following Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux’s €10,000 fine (plus a suspended €20,000 fine) for swearing in a television interview after Rally Sweden earlier this month – the first punishment issued under the latest rules – the World Rally Drivers Alliance (WoRDA) has come together to “express their opinion, seek clarity and co-operation towards a brighter future.”

WoRDA acknowledges that “competitors must abide by the Referee’s decision”,  and that is recognizes “our responsibilities and commitment to collaborate in a constructive way with all stakeholders, including the FIA President, in order to promote and elevate our outstanding Sport for the benefit of all,” but it also calls out the severity of the punishments being handed out, saying that it “has reached an unacceptable level”.

It also questions where the money from fines goes, and also points out that, despite everyone subject to the same sanctions, not every competitor in the WRC is a full-time professional, stating, “the exorbitant fines are vastly disproportionate to the average income and budget in rallying. We are also concerned with the public impression these excessive sums create in the minds of the fans, suggesting this is an industry where money doesn’t matter.”

The statement was signed by the full Rally1 field – as well as Ogier’s former co-driver Julien Ingrassia, who retired at the end of 2021 – plus top names from the WRC2 class.