Stewards for Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, have fined Charles Leclerc for swearing during a recent post-race news conference.
Leclerc was fined 10,000 euros, 5,000 of which “is suspended on condition that there is no further breach of a similar nature within the next 12 months,” according to the FIA decision document.
After securing third in the Mexico City Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver was asked about his big save to avoid a crash late in the race, exiting the final turn while battling McLaren driver Lando Norris. He explained the moment, saying in part, “I lost the rear, and then you forget about Lando and you just hope that you are going to take it back. I had one oversteer, and then when I recovered from that oversteer, I had an oversteer from the other side and then I was like, ‘f—.’”
He looked set to continue with his answer, but when he looked to his right, his eyes got big when he realized what he’d done. Leclerc said, “Oh, sorry! Oh, no, oh no! I don’t want to join Max!” Carlos Sainz responded, “You have your wallet here?”
Leclerc being spoken to by an FIA official after dropping an F-bomb in the post-race presser.
After doing it Leclerc immediately laughed and said: “Oh no, I don’t want to join Max!”
Max got community service for swearing during an FIA presser in Singapore. pic.twitter.com/r9i84VEq4F
— Nate Saunders (@natesaundersF1) October 27, 2024
Max Verstappen received a different punishment from the FIA earlier this season when he described his car’s setup in Azerbaijan as “f—–” during a Singapore news conference. Verstappen was ordered to complete public interest work. This led to the Red Bull driver giving short answers during subsequent news conferences that weekend and telling journalists he preferred speaking with them elsewhere.
Both incidents were considered a breach of Article 12.2.1.k of the International Sporting Code. The FIA’s decision document for Leclerc’s fine stated that the FIA’s policy is “to ensure that language used in its public forums, such as press conferences, meets generally accepted standards for all audiences and broadcasts,” especially comments made by F1 world championship drivers, who the FIA calls “role models both inside and outside the sport.”
In explaining their decision to levy a fine instead of community service, the stewards noted that Leclerc’s “language was not directed at anyone or any group and that Leclerc immediately apologised.”
Referring to Verstappen’s recent punishment for news conference language, the stewards wrote in the Leclerc decision that they “do not consider that this breach reached the same level as the most recent case” and that they considered “the mitigation factor that Leclerc was immediately apologetic.”
Leclerc’s summons came a day after Verstappen made a remark about the matter during Thursday’s FIA news conference ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix. When discussing whose advice or criticism he listens to, the Red Bull driver said, “People that are objective and close to me and not just there to stir … I can’t say the word because I’ll probably get another (community service punishment).
“I mean, apparently, it only counts for me anyway because after the race in Mexico, someone was swearing. I didn’t hear anything from it, so it’s better I don’t swear again.”
Top photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
