FIA reduces penalty for swearing after driver backlash

The maximum penalties for drivers swearing has been reduced by 50% while stewards will also be given more discretion on deciding penalties, the governing FIA said on Wednesday.

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Competitors in Formula One and rallying have been at loggerheads with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem over a crackdown on bad language during events.

Ben Sulayem said last month that he was considering “improvements” to rules.

World championship rally drivers had made a breakthrough in April when they reached a compromise to divide events into a controlled zone and an uncontrolled one, with the change now being implemented across all events sanctioned by the FIA.

The FIA said the base maximum penalty has been reduced from 10,000 euros ($11,214) to 5,000 euros while stewards will have the option to fully suspend a penalty if it is the first offence by a driver or a team.

Moreover, stewards will be able to differentiate between “controlled and non-controlled environments”.

Controlled environments include press conferences while tracks or rally stages are uncontrolled environments.