“Harsh” to criticise F1 drivers for swearing on their radios

Formula 1 drivers swearing on their radios is understandable given the stresses they experience during races, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur believes.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said earlier this week he wants Formula One Management to broadcast less swearing by drivers during race weekend. Yesterday the FIA handed down a punishment to Max Verstappen for swearing during its official pre-event press conference.

However Vasseur says drivers’ language should be considered differently when they are in the car. “We have to make a difference on the language during the race,” he said.

“You don’t have a microphone on the football player or whatever. I don’t want to say the football player as a reference, but we have to understand also that they are driving the car at 350kph and I’m not sure that the language is the first priority for them when they are driving the car and this I can perfectly understand that.

“We can discuss about the other approach and again I won’t do it for obvious reasons but I think when they are into the car it’s a bit harsh.”

Williams team principal James Vowles largely agreed. “When you’re actually out there in the moment and even at a point where you think someone has challenged your life, which is often some of the manoeuvres there end up being, all of you, everyone… would have an emotional reaction to that.”

However Vowles, who has also competed as a driver in international-level GT races, believes there are situations where obscenities shouldn’t be tolerated in radio communications.

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“There are two differences to it,” he said. “Clearly, I understand we’re a world sport and there’s elements that we have to remain under control. And there are other situations where perhaps language has been used on a slow-down lap or stationary in the pit lane, that can absolutely be avoided.

“But we have to also try and keep in mind that we have some of the most elite athletes in the world putting their life on the line as gladiators, and that will cause an emotional reaction. And as much words as I can use with them here in the calm of the moment, you’ve still got adrenaline flowing through the body, and it’d be very difficult to change that.”

Vowles intends to speak to his driver Franco Colapinto about some of the language he used on his radio during practice today. “Franco swore today, if I’m completely transparent, but we’ll have a chat with him later about that,” he said. “That wasn’t for any other reason that he forgot something.

“That we can clean up. But I think in the heat of the moment, we’re asking a lot of athletes.”