The FIA has released the 2025 edition of the international sporting code, and following tweaks to the stewards’ penalty guidelines, F1 stars could now receive punishments as fierce as a one-month suspension and a deduction of championship points for their language.
Driver conduct and language were hot topics in 2024. Max Verstappen received a community service punishment from the stewards after swearing during the Thursday press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.
This caused an uproar among several drivers, but FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem stood his ground after complaining about drivers swearing too much on the radio before the weekend got under way.
Following changes to the international sporting code, similar punishments could be even more extreme. The overhauled article 12.2.1 in Appendix B lays out the new letter of the law.
“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 motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA,” reads subsection F.
This rule breach would be met with a £8,450 (€10,000) fine on the first offence. The second instance would result in a £16,900 (€20,000) fine and a suspended one-month suspension from racing. The third offence would lead to a £25.350 (€30,000) financial penalty, a one-month ban, and a championship points deduction.
However, these are only the base-level punishments, and the fines are scaled up depending on the competition. In F1, these fines range from £33,800 (€40,000) to an eye-watering £101,400 (€120,000). Identical punishments will also be dished out for “any misconduct” from the drivers.
These punishments will likely create further friction between the FIA and the drivers. Tensions are currently high, and the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, led by George Russell, penned an open letter to Ben Sulayem’s organisation towards the end of the 2024 season, complaining about the current direction.
Verstappen will also be troubled by the new reveal. The Dutchman is already at risk of a race ban for crossing the penalty points threshold and must now watch his language and behaviour even more intently in 2025.
The four-time world champion moved onto eight accumulated penalty points after tagging Oscar Piastri into a spin on the opening lap in Abu Dhabi. None of his points expire until late June, so Verstappen knows that two misdemeanours could deal a brutal title blow in 2025.
