FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s push to drive swearing out of Formula 1 has received unlikely support from Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.
While Wolff does not see eye-to-eye with Ben Sulayem on every topic in F1, he thinks the efforts to clean up the image of drivers is something worth fighting for thanks to a personal experience he had recently.
Amid an ongoing debate about drivers acting as role models, Wolff says that the impact the language they use can have an influence on youngsters following grand prix racing.
It is understood that Wolff and Ben Sulayem met at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where, as part of their conversation, this issue was discussed.
“I have a seven-year-old that go-karts and that watches everything,” said Wolff. “It is the first time, a few months ago, that he said, ‘what the f**k’, and I said ‘where did you hear that from?’ He said from the drivers.
“So I have my conflicts with Mohammed but in that instance the drivers, all of the drivers, are role models. They are on air and they are entitled, and they are empowered.
“I disagree with many of the other things that he [Ben Sulayem] came up with, but on that one I think if you translate ‘f**k’ into your own language or my language, it is pretty rude. I would never say that on the radio.
‘George [Russell] and I, and Lewis [Hamilton] had this conversation and they know I don’t like it. So I am perfectly fine that we are really able to limit that.
“There are a handful of drivers, some native, some not, that come out with the things and, for me I, would be happy to sanction that even more. That’s just my opinion.”
Ben Sulayem revealed efforts to clamp down on the prevalence of swearing ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix – and that weekend world champion Max Verstappen was sanctioned for using a curse word in a press conference.
The Dutchman was handed a day’s community service by the FIA, which he fulfilled during his visit to the official Prize Gala in Rwanda last weekend.
Speaking to Motorsport.com recently in an interview, Ben Sulayem was convinced he was doing the right thing in bringing the swearing issue into the spotlight.
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Asked if he felt it was a fight worth having based on the controversy his comments caused, Ben Sulayem said: “Fight? For cleaning the sport, yes.
“But did I write these rules about swearing? Was I the one who implemented and policed it? I ask you because it's the stewards. It's not me. It's the stewards. So you go and ask them, why is that?
“We are sending a message to the youngsters at any age with that. And, excuse me, commercials, movies, they are rated whatever.”
Ben Sulayem feels that the current generation of stars need to reflect on how other iconic sports heroes behaved in the past.
“Do we have to say the rude words? Honestly," added Ben Sulayem.
“Did Michael Schumacher say it? Did Mohammed Ali say it? He said he was a big mouth. But did he ever say it [a rude word]? Did Pele say it?
“We are in a very unique sport and we have to protect it from the bad words. Bad words that I will always disagree with.”
