The FIA continues its battle against swear words. This time it was Charles Leclerc's turn: the Monegasque, third in the Mexican GP, ended up in the Federation's sights for an inappropriate exclamation, simply a swear word, during the press conference. Despite the immediate apologies, the FIA has decided to fine the Ferrari driver with a fine of 10.000 euros, of which 5.000 are suspended in the absence of further infringements.
An “unintentional” mistake
At the end of a hard-fought race, in which Leclerc risked crashing into the barriers on the final lap, an instinctive “oh shit” escaped as he described that moment. The Ferrari driver immediately apologized live, ironically saying that he didn’t want to “keep Verstappen company,” who had already been penalized for a similar expression. But the apology wasn’t enough for the Federation, which decided to call Leclerc back to discuss the incident with the stewards in Brazil.
The FIA's hard line
La FIA seems adamant about his position on language, as he had already shown with Max Verstappen, forcing him to perform community service for a similar episode. President Mohammed Ben Sulayem stressed that drivers and staff must maintain appropriate language, away from the excesses often present in pop culture, urging a “cleaner” style of expression.
A crucial weekend for Ferrari
Meanwhile, Ferrari is preparing for a decisive weekend in Brazil. After their recent successes and constant pursuit of McLaren in the Constructors' Championship, Leclerc and Sainz aim to keep the pressure on their opponents, trying to score precious points to close the season on a high. For Leclerc, the challenge intensifies not only on the track but also off it, with the knowledge that every word is now under the Federation's spotlight.
