The FIA is assessing if Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc should be investigated and possibly punished for swearing in the Mexico Grand Prix press conference, Autosport understands.
The incident follows Red Bull’s Max Verstappen receiving a community service punishment for swearing in the build-up to last month’s Singapore GP, which led to the Dutchman boycotting FIA press conferences.
The focus on driver swearing is part of an FIA initiative across all its championships to try and avoid its officials being on the receiving end of abuse – often from large, partisan fanbases of famous drivers – but has been interpreted as a clampdown on driver expression following comments by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in an interview with Autosport.
In Leclerc’s case, he was asked “what did you say to yourself when you brought the car back?” after finishing third in the Mexico City race won by his team-mate Carlos Sainz – referring to the moment he nearly crashed his Ferrari at the Peraltada corner in front of McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Leclerc’s reply included the line: “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**k’.”
He then added: “Oh, sorry! Oh, no, oh no! I don’t want to join Max!”
After the press conference, Leclerc was spoken to at length by the FIA’s media delegate, where it is understood Leclerc was again apologetic and understanding of why the discussion was taking place.
Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, on the grid
Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images
As with Verstappen’s case, his comments could be constituted as a breach of Article 12.2.1k of the FIA’s International Sporting Code.
The rule states it is an offence to issue “any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA”.
After the press conference, Autosport understands the FIA media delegate had to report the incident to the governing body’s sporting officials and the stewards of the meeting.
They are now in discussions over whether to open a formal investigation into Leclerc’s comments – akin to how racing incidents are first noted by race control officials before being passed to the stewards.
It is unclear at this stage when this will be decided, but at the 2023 Abu Dhabi GP, Mercedes and Ferrari team bosses Toto Wolff and Fred Vasseur were investigated for swearing in the Las Vegas event’s team principals’ press conference the previous week.
Therefore, the FIA could wait until next weekend’s Brazilian GP before announcing an investigation.
That’s if it ever gets that far because Autosport understands Leclerc’s multiple apologies are already being taken into consideration in the matter.