19/09/2024
NEWS STORY
Lando Norris and Max Verstappen are the first to react to a proposed clamp down on swearing.
Seemingly the FIA has called on Formula One Management to cut down on drivers' language, and that of team bosses and engineers, in their live coverage over race weekends.
While the official feed is often able to 'bleep out' the offending words, FIA president, Mohammed ben Sulayem feels such language is not a good image for the sport.
"We have to differentiate between our sport, motorsport, and rap music," he told Motorsport.com. "We're not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That's them and we are us.
"I know, I was a driver," added the former rally driver. "In the heat of the moment, when you think you are upset because another driver came to you and pushed you. When I used to drive in the dust, and something like that happened, I would get upset. But also, we have to be careful with our conduct. We need to be responsible people.
"And now with the technology, everything is going live and everything is going to be recorded. At the end of the day, we have to study that to see: do we minimise what is being said publicly? Because imagine you are sitting with your children and watching the race and then someone is saying all of this dirty language. I mean, what would your children or grandchildren say? What would you teach them if that is your sport?"
Asked if the FIA has called on FOM to act, he said: "We can and we are. We are the ones who actually approved more radio talk on the TV broadcast. But we have rules, and the rules are there for the benefit of the sport and the rules are there to be policed and to be respected also."
"I think you will swear anyway," said Max Verstappen when told about the FIA president's comments. "If it's not in this room, maybe somewhere else.
"Everyone swears," he continued, "some people a bit more than others. It also depends a bit what language you speak.
"Of course, abuse is something else," he admitted. "But yeah, I think a lot of things get broadcasted nowadays, where in other sports you don't run around with a mic attached to you. I think a lot of people say a lot of bad things when they are full of adrenaline in other sports. It just doesn't get picked up.
"We're here probably for also entertainment purposes," he added. "Things get sent out and that's why people can pick up on it, discuss it on social media and you get all sorts of trouble. So I think it already just starts with not broadcasting it. I mean, if you don't broadcast it, no one will know. Only the team. But with that you deal internally with these kind of things.
"It's just probably a bit the world that we live in within the sport. But also in general, it seems like people are a bit more sensitive to stuff. Yeah, that's how it goes. I mean, I guess the world is changing a bit, but I think it already just starts with not broadcasting it or not giving the option for people to hear it in general.
"Of course, there are a lot of apps where people can listen to radios and stuff. You have to probably limit it or have a bit of a delay that you can censor out a few things. That will help a lot more than putting bans on drivers because, for example, I couldn't even say the F-word. I mean, it's not even that bad, right?
"I mean, the car was not working," he said in reference to his comment during the Baku race. "The car is f******. Yeah? Excuse me for the language but come on... Like, what are we? Five-year-olds? Six-year-olds?
"Even if a five-year-old or six-year-old is watching, I mean, they will eventually swear anyway, even if the parents won't or they will not allow it. When they grow up, they will walk around with their friends and they will be swearing. So, you know, this is not changing anything."
Title rival Lando Norris feels that censoring drivers' raw emotions in the heat of the moment will compromise the sport's "rawness".
"When I listen to it, I find it cool and I find it exciting when you listen to these kinds of things," said the McLaren driver. "It's not just nice gentle soft language that people are using. So, I'm sure there's plenty of other sports and things you can go watch if that's what you want to hear."
Pointing out that the drivers are "just guys in the heat of the moment, under stress, under pressure, fighting, having big crashes". he added: "It's just a lot easier for them to say than for us to do because we're out there putting our hearts on the line on trying to race people and we're giving it our all.
"Our heart rates are so high. We're just putting our passion and our love into it. Of course, there's going to be some bad words on the other side of it, but it's just because we're trying, we're wanting to give our best and we feel hard done by when things don't go right.
"And if it's because of excitement and stuff, that's because we're happy for what goes into it."
In all honesty, another nail in the sport's coffin and somewhat ironic seeing as the Las Vegas Grand Prix 'entertainment' appears to be exclusively the kind of rappers the Ben Sulayem is referring to.
There is so much we can say, but sadly it would require bleeping out.