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BBC News
5 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Drivers 'too nice' when asked about Monaco changes
Fernando Alonso says Formula 1 drivers are "too nice" in politely fielding questions about whether the Monaco Grand Prix needs drivers have criticised the rule change that was introduced for the event last weekend that required drivers to make two pit stops at Aston Martin driver, a two-time world champion and double winner in Monaco, said: "There is this constant talk of how bad is something, instead of how good is something."This is Monaco. Maybe there is a couple of ideas between all involved in the sport we can think of for Monaco, but I don't think there is any need to think of anything."It is only because there is a lot of content now to be created and drivers we are too nice so we answer to every question."If 40 years ago you ask (Ayrton) Senna and (Alain) Prost about Monaco after one week and they are fighting for the championship, they will be less polite than we are."Alonso, the most experienced driver in F1 history, said that in Monaco "you see one overtake every 10 years".He added: "I am always a little bit surprised about the negative comments from Monaco on Monday."Don't worry next year we will go to Monaco and on Wednesday we will be so excited, and on Friday we all say it's the best track of the season and we all want to win Monaco, and then on Saturday we are all super-excited and the adrenalin on those laps is unique. And then on Sunday we will be disappointed once again. It is what it is."Grand Prix Drivers' Association chairman Alex Wurz posted on Instagram this week some changes to the track , externalhe believed could make racing better there, including moving the harbour front chicane and reprofiling the Loews and Rascasse corners a driver George Russell, a director of the GPDA, said the changes "would definitely not make it worse, but added: "Monaco has always been the same. I don't have the answer. Part of me thinks we should just accept Monaco for what it is."F1 is better for having Monaco on the calendar. Qualifying is exciting, the race is boring but it makes us appreciate some of the other races."Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who won in Monaco in 2024 and was second this season, said: "Do we need to make absolutely every possible effort to make it better on the Sunday? Definitely. "But Monaco has always been like that. Monaco has always been the kind of race where the Sunday not much is happening or a lot less compared to other races. "The qualifying in Monaco is unbelievable, and that's what makes Monaco so special." Will wing change make a difference? F1 introduces stiffer tests on front wing flexibility at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix, aimed at preventing teams deliberately exploiting wing flex to enhance front wings helps teams balance the cars between high speed and low-speed corners and Red Bull have been hoping these could hamper McLaren driver Lando Norris, who won in Monaco on Sunday, said his team were not worried about them."No, not at all," Norris said. There are little tweaks here and there but nothing that will change how we have to do anything."Oscar Piastri added: "I've not run the front wing, but Lando's already run the front wing before this year, so we're confident. "That's not our magic bullet. We don't have a magic bullet, but that's not our main strength."Norris trails his team-mate Piastri by three points in the championship and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen is a further 22 said of the wing changes: "More has to happen for our side to have proper success. All will be a little impacted, some a little more than others, but it is not going to change the world."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
FIA backs down in F1 swearing row by cutting drivers' fines in half
Formula One's governing body the FIA has retreated from its hard stance against drivers using bad language that has caused controversy and division since it was pursued by the president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The move will be considered a climbdown by the FIA among drivers and others in the F1 paddock, not least the defending world champion Max Verstappen, who has been among many who were vociferous in their dismissal of the policy and the FIA's previous refusal to listen to the drivers' standpoint. Related: Flavio Briatore takes on Alpine F1 team lead duties as Colapino replaces Doohan On Wednesday the FIA announced it was cutting in half the maximum penalties for drivers swearing. The decision comes after Ben Sulayem, who is set to stand for re-election in December, had intimated he was to do so last month and after the governing body and its president had been at odds with the drivers over the issue since the Singapore GP in 2024 when Verstappen was punished for using bad language in an FIA press conference. Before Singapore Ben Sulayem had made his position clear, stating he did not want drivers to swear, comparing it unfavourably to rap artists; a comment Lewis Hamilton dismissed as being influenced by a racial bias and stereotyping. The Grand Prix Drivers' Association reacted by issuing a public statement to the FIA demanding they stop treating drivers like children and to know where the money from the fines was being spent, to which the FIA did not respond. More recently George Russell, a director of the GPDA, stated they wanted actions not words from the FIA on the matter and reiterated that the GPDA had still had no contact on the subject from the governing body. The standoff appears to be finally nearing some form of rapprochement, although there has yet to be any comment from the drivers, who will likely address it this weekend at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in Imola. The FIA said on Wednesday that the base maximum penalty has been reduced from €10,000 (£8,423) to €5,000, while stewards will have the option to fully suspend a penalty if it is the first offence by a driver or a team. Previously F1 drivers, who were subject to multipliers from the base level, were in line for an escalating scale of fines opening at €40,000 (£33,700) and with the more consequential sporting threat of a ban, which has also been dropped, with the caveat of the potential for a 'serious penalty' for 'very serious offences'. Crucially, stewards will also be given more discretion on deciding penalties. They will be able to differentiate between 'controlled' and 'non-controlled environments', with the latter being the competition on track or on a rally stage, where drivers have long been clear they express themselves in the heat of the moment and that the sport is unusual in having competitors' comments broadcast live while they are in action. Garry Connelly, F1's stewards chief, claimed the changes would give stewards guidance to 'differentiate between on and off-track issues'. Ronan Morgan, president of the drivers' committee, said: 'Drivers are looked up to as role models by young fans and are rightly seen as ambassadors for the wider world of motor sport. 'How they act really does matter but it is important to recognise that there is a difference between what is said during a race and in a press conference.' The changes cover appendix B of the stewards' penalty guidelines, setting out punishments for misconduct including words, deeds or writings that might have caused moral injury to the FIA or motor sport in general. Mitigating circumstances will also be considered while the abuse of officials, which is exceptionally rare in F1, will now result in sporting penalties instead of fines. 'As a former rally driver, I know first-hand the range of emotions that are faced during competition,' said Ben Sulayem, 'I have led an extensive and collaborative review with contributions from across the seven FIA world championships, FIA member clubs and other motor sports organisations. 'The improvements the FIA has announced today to appendix B will ensure we continue to promote the best of sportsmanship in motor sport, while also giving stewards effective guidelines to act against individuals who may bring the sport into disrepute.'
CNA
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- CNA
Russell sees no reason to thank FIA for swearing backtrack
IMOLA, Italy :George Russell saw no reason to thank Formula One's governing body after it halved the maximum penalties drivers face for swearing. The Mercedes driver, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), said the high fines were "a little bit ludicrous in the first place. "Of course we're happy to see (the changes), but it (the fines) should never have been there," the Briton told reporters ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Italy's Imola circuit. "So it feels a bit wrong to be thanking (the FIA) for the changes when we shouldn't have been in that place to begin with." The governing FIA announced on Wednesday that it was reducing the maximum penalties for drivers swearing by 50 per cent and giving stewards more discretion on deciding penalties. Competitors in Formula One and rallying have been at loggerheads with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem over a crackdown on bad language during events. The FIA amended the sporting code in January to set out stiff sanctions for drivers who break the rules concerning conduct. A first offence triggered a 40,000 euros ($44,764) fine for F1 drivers, rising to 80,000 for the second and 120,000 with a one-month suspension and deduction of championship points for a third breach. Those fines are now halved. Abuse of officials will now result in sporting penalties rather than fines. McLaren's Oscar Piastri, the Formula One championship leader, said that was a positive step. "The stewards have a lot more control now, which I think is a good thing because the circumstances definitely need to be taken into account," said the Australian. "I think one of the big things for the FIA was putting something in for abusing officials, which I think is very fair and reasonable. I think maybe some of the other areas got a bit caught up in that sentiment and felt a bit harsh. "But I think there are some genuine reasons behind what they're doing. I think they've listened to some of our feedback and the changes are in the right direction."
Reuters
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Reuters
Russell sees no reason to thank FIA for swearing backtrack
IMOLA, Italy, May 16 (Reuters) - George Russell saw no reason to thank Formula One's governing body after it halved the maximum penalties drivers face for swearing. The Mercedes driver, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), said the high fines were "a little bit ludicrous in the first place. "Of course we're happy to see (the changes), but it (the fines) should never have been there," the Briton told reporters ahead of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Italy's Imola circuit. "So it feels a bit wrong to be thanking (the FIA) for the changes when we shouldn't have been in that place to begin with." The governing FIA announced on Wednesday that it was reducing the maximum penalties for drivers swearing by 50% and giving stewards more discretion on deciding penalties. Competitors in Formula One and rallying have been at loggerheads with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem over a crackdown on bad language during events. The FIA amended the sporting code in January to set out stiff sanctions for drivers who break the rules concerning conduct. A first offence triggered a 40,000 euros ($44,764) fine for F1 drivers, rising to 80,000 for the second and 120,000 with a one-month suspension and deduction of championship points for a third breach. Those fines are now halved. Abuse of officials will now result in sporting penalties rather than fines. McLaren's Oscar Piastri, the Formula One championship leader, said that was a positive step. "The stewards have a lot more control now, which I think is a good thing because the circumstances definitely need to be taken into account," said the Australian. "I think one of the big things for the FIA was putting something in for abusing officials, which I think is very fair and reasonable. I think maybe some of the other areas got a bit caught up in that sentiment and felt a bit harsh. "But I think there are some genuine reasons behind what they're doing. I think they've listened to some of our feedback and the changes are in the right direction." ($1 = 0.8936 euros)
The Guardian
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
George Russell scornful of ‘crazy' FIA's retreat on swearing drivers
George Russell has dismissed the FIA's decision to back down from its hard line on driver swearing as ridiculous and suggested it was a ploy by the governing body's president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, to garner support before he stands for re-election this December, while Lewis Hamilton described the situation at the FIA as 'a mess'. On Wednesday, the FIA announced it was to relax the strict stance against drivers using bad language which it has pursued relentlessly, apparently at Ben Sulayem's request, for the past eight months. The president stated before the Singapore GP last year he did not want drivers to swear and the FIA imposed a new sliding scale of fines including rising to the prospect of a ban for infringements at the start of this season but the organisation backtracked before this weekend's Imola Grand Prix. The maximum fine has now been drastically reduced and the prospect of a ban removed. Russell, who is a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, felt the entire episode had been all but farcical and was dismissive of the FIA's latest efforts. 'I didn't really have any reaction to [the decision] because it was so ridiculous in the first place,' he said. 'We're not going to be saying thank you for something that was so crazy in the first place. It's just we've gone back to something that is slightly more in the name of common sense but we should never have moved away from that in the first place. We shouldn't even be having this conversation.' The controversial issue had set the FIA at loggerheads with the drivers since last September, when Verstappen was punished for swearing in an FIA press conference. The GPDA subsequently wrote an open letter to the governing body requesting a dialogue and demanding they were treated like adults. The FIA did not respond and Russell said they had still had 'zero' contact from the governing body regarding the mattersince. Disappointed at the lack of communication, he suggested the president had his own agenda. 'It doesn't really make a lot of sense. It's not challenging to have an open dialogue and ultimately that's what everybody wants,' he said. 'You just wonder whether it's all a bit strategic the timing of these things.' When asked if he was referring to the forthcoming re-election, Russell confirmed he was. Russell was not alone in his sense of dismay with the FIA, as Hamilton supported his former teammate's stance. 'It is ridiculous,' Hamilton said. 'It seems a bit of a mess there at the moment. So yeah, there's lots of changes that are needed for sure.' Carlo Sainz Sr, the father of the Williams driver Carlos Sainz, who is a hugely well-respected figure in the sport and a twice a winner of the world rally championship, is considering running for election to oppose Ben Sulayem but has had questions raised about his suitability given his son is still actively participating in F1. Russell said he believed Sainz Sr would be a 'great' candidate and did not believe there would be any conflict of interest. Verstappen concurred and welcomed the Spaniard standing. When asked if Sainz would be a better president, the world champion replied. 'You can fill that in yourself.' 'He's very well respected in the world here and in the rally world,' he added. 'Of course people always say it's conflicting with his son but I think he's professional enough to keep that separated from each other. I think it would be a great addition to run for president.'
