7 hours Ago By Henry Valantine
Alex Wurz, the chair of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, says all F1 stars “want to be good role models” and hopes “common sense prevails” around new FIA guidelines on punishments for misconduct. The FIA have issued updated guidelines around the punishments drivers can expect for swearing or overall misconduct in an official setting, with a third offence now carrying a penalty up to €30,000, a one-month suspension and a deduction of World Championship points. Updated wording in the International Sporting Code says that, alongside the punishments for ‘any misconduct’, drivers can also be punished for ‘any words, deeds or writings that cause moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers.
’ The GPDA, as the de facto trade union for the Formula 1 drivers, is yet to issue an official response to the updated guidelines, but while Wurz confirmed there has been contact among its members, there has not currently been a decision for a course of action. Whatever the outcome, he hopes “common sense prevails” throughout. “We have communicated, but we have not had enough time yet in this very busy period for the drivers, start of season, simulator tests, etc, to go together and discuss how we are addressing it,” Wurz told Sky Sports News .
👉 Explained: The real reasons behind the FIA’s new swearing guidelines 👉 Explained: Why FIA are taking back seat on McLaren and Mercedes front wings “At the end of the day, I’m a dad to young kids. It’s best to not swear, but it’s not about not swearing. “We all know that we are role models.
Every driver wants to be a good role model. “I don’t know anyone in those elite 20 athletes who is a real rebel and wants to go out and swear and shout. It’s really not the case.
“We have to just hope that common sense prevails with all of us, that when a word is slipping and perhaps the controller of the feeds are not finding the ‘beep’ button to support us as an industry, because we have to address this together. “At the same time, we have to remain authentic, but we can be authentic without swearing. “So it’s a big topic – it’s maybe hotter in the media than it is in our rooms – but we’ve had no time to form our opinion, and a potential cause of action, or maybe no action.
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