World Rally Championship drivers have called for communication with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to find an “urgent solution” following the governing body’s move to sanction drivers for swearing.
WRC drivers and co-drivers through the World Rally Drivers Alliance (WoRDA) have today issued a statement opposing the measures the FIA has taken to impose fines on drivers for swearing.
It comes after Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux was slapped with a €10,000 fine and hit with a suspended €20,000 fine for swearing during a television interview at the conclusion of Rally Sweden earlier this month.
Fourmaux was deemed to have breached Article 12.2.1.l of the 2025 FIA International Sporting Code that covers use of “inappropriate language” after saying “we f***ed up yesterday” during an interview when referring to a messy start to stage 11.
The Frenchman became the first driver to be sanctioned under the FIA’s new motorsport-wide clampdown on “inappropriate language”.
This latest step by WRC drivers mirrors a move by the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA), which last year issued a statement after Red Bull’s Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen was given a community service punishment for swearing in an FIA press conference at the Singapore Grand Prix.
Protests were subsequently made by eight-time world champion Sebastien Ogier and 2019 world champion Ott Tanak at Rally Chile last year. The pair limited their answers in media interviews after Ogier was handed a suspended €30,000 fine from the FIA for comments he directed at officials at the end of the opening stage at Acropolis Rally Greece last year.
The WRC drivers’ statement acknowledges that competitors “must abide by the Referee’s decision” and their responsibility to work with stakeholders to “promote” and “elevate” the sport.
However, WoRDA strongly opposes the swearing ban imposed by the FIA, stating the “severity of the sanctions imposed for minor, isolated and unintentional language lapses” have reached “an unacceptable level”.
Adrien Fourmaux, Hyundai World Rally Team
Photo by: Romain Thuillier / Hyundai Motorsport
The WRC drivers have also questioned “the relevance and validity of imposing any sort of penalty” for “unintentional language lapses” and seeks transparency from the FIA for fines it has stated are “exorbitant” and “vastly disproportionate to the average income and budget in rallying”.
“This also raises a fundamental question, where does the money from these fines go?,” read part of the statement.
“The lack of transparency only amplifies concerns and undermines confidence in the system. Surely the negative impressions surrounding these penalties far outweigh the impact of any language lapse.”
The statement was signed by WRC Rally1 drivers and co-drivers, alongside leading members from WRC2, and Ogier’s former co-driver, turned television presenter Julien Ingrassia.
The WoRDA (world rally drivers alliance) statement in full
The Rally Drivers and Co-drivers of WoRDA, inspired by their GPDA colleagues, join together to express their opinion, seek clarity and co-operate towards a brighter future.
First and foremost, we wish to state that, as is the case with every sport, competitors must abide by the Referee’s decision. The respect of this principle is not in question. We are not all full-time professionals, yet we all face the same extreme conditions with the same relentless passion.
Whether navigating through dense forests, across frozen roads in the dead of night, or through the dust of treacherous gravel tracks, we push ourselves to the limit – against the elements, against the clock, and against our own limits. Beyond racing, our role has expanded. Today, rally drivers and co-drivers are not only athletes but also entertainers, content creators, and constant media figures.
From the smartphones of spectators to the official WRC cameras, we are expected to be available at all times – before, during, and after competition, from dawn to dusk.
WoRDA has always recognised our responsibilities and commitment to collaborate in a constructive way with all stakeholders, including the FIA President, in order to promote and elevate our outstanding Sport for the benefit of all.
In recent months, however, there has been an alarming increase in the severity of the sanctions imposed for minor, isolated and unintentional language lapses. This has reached an unacceptable level.”
We strongly believe that:
- Common colloquialism cannot be considered and judged as equal to genuine insult or an act of aggression.
- Non mother-tongue speakers may use or repeat terms without full awareness of their meaning and connotation.
- Seconds after an extreme adrenaline spike, it is unrealistic to expect a perfect and systematic control over emotions.
- Rally is Extreme: risk level for the athletes, intensity of the focus, length of the days… all the limits are reached.
In such a case we question the relevance and validity of imposing any sort of penalty. Moreover, the exorbitant fines are vastly disproportionate to the average income and budget in rallying.
We are also concerned with the public impression these excessive sums create in the minds of the fans, suggesting this is an industry where money doesn’t matter.
This also raises a fundamental question where does the money from these fines go?
The lack of transparency only amplifies concerns and undermines confidence in the system. Surely the negative impressions surrounding these penalties far outweigh the impact of any language lapse.
We call for a direct communication and engagement between the FIA President and WoRDA members to find a mutually agreeable and urgent solution.
Sportingly, The Rally Drivers and Co-drivers members of WoRDA
Sebastien Ogier, Kalle Rovanpera, Ott Tanak, Thierry Neuville, Martijn Wydaeghe, Jonne Halttunen, Martin Jarveoja, Vincent Landais, Adrien Fourmaux, Alexandre Coria, Elfyn Evans, Scott Martin, Grégoire Munster, Louis Louka, Takamoto Katsuta, Aaron Johnston, Martins Sesks, Francis Renars, Sami Pajari, Marko Salminen, Josh McErlean, Eoin Treacy, Candido Carrera, Gus Greensmith, Jonas Andersson, Yohan Rossel, Arnaud Dunand, Oliver Solberg, Elliott Edmondson, Leo Rossel, Guillaume Mercoiret, Dani Sordo, Julien Ingrassia.
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