Swear Jar: FIA to fine racing drivers for use of foul language

Motor Racing is always a high-pressure, high-emotion environment, especially in the heat of the moment when drivers go wheel-to-wheel racing for position. But for 2025, motorsport drivers need to train themselves to keep their emotions more in check during a race weekend.

The FIA has updated its Sporting Code, which reveals stricter sanctions for drivers using swear language or other sporting code violations. The governing body includes swearing as a form of misconduct and is punishable under the Article 12 of the FIA Sporting Code through fines or even championship points penalties.

Under the updated Sporting Code, FIA defines misconduct as "the general use of language (written or verbal), gesture and/or sign that is offensive, insulting, coarse, rude or abusive and might reasonably be expected or be perceived to be coarse or rude or to cause offense, humiliation or to be inappropriate", "assaulting (elbowing, kicking, punching, hitting, etc.)", and "incitement to do any of the above".

Furthermore, it also includes "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" and "any public incitement to violence or hatred".

When caught violating this code, drivers will be fined EUR 10,000 for the first offense (x4 for F1 drivers). Second offense will subject drivers to a fine of EUR 20,000 (EUR 80,000 for F1) and a one-month suspension, while the third offense reaches fines of EUR 90,000 with one-month suspension and deduction of championship points.

The Sporting Code also applies to the lower-tier categories sanctioned by the FIA such as WRC, WEC, and FIA regional championships such as in F4 or F3.

Swear words are often bleeped out in official broadcasts of races like Formula One, and sometimes it’s seen more as an expression of emotion especially in high pressure situations. For some, those emotions are what adds to the spectactle of motorsport. Let’s see how this will turn out.