FIA wants clampdown on drivers’ radio swearing – Norris disagrees

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has disclosed that a request has been made by the governing body to Formula One Management to take steps to reduce the amount of swearing broadcast during F1 races.

While the official TV feed censors swear words by relying on a delayed transmission, the FIA is concerned by the increasing frequency of these outbursts.

Consequently, Ben Sulayem believes drivers should also take responsibility for using appropriate language during their radio communications.

“I mean, we have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music,” Ben Sulayem told Motorsport.com.

“We’re not rappers, you know. They say the F-word how many times per minute? We are not on that. That’s them and we are [us].”

As a former driver in his own right, Ben Sulayem empathizes with competitors' frustrations but believes it is imperative to uphold strict standards.

“I know, I was a driver,” he said. "In the heat of the moment, when you think you are upset because another driver came to you and pushed you…

"When I used to drive in the dust [and something like that happened], I would get upset. But also, we have to be careful with our conduct. We need to be responsible people.

“And now with the technology, everything is going live and everything is going to be recorded. At the end of the day, we have to study that to see: do we minimise what is being said publicly?

“Because imagine you are sitting with your children and watching the race and then someone is saying all of this dirty language. I mean, what would your children or grandchildren say? What would you teach them if that is your sport?”

• Read also: Magnussen tells stewards to ‘stop punishing ridiculous things’

Queried ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix on the FIA’s request to FOM, Norris suggested that the onus should be on the latter to minimize or suppress during broadcasts foul language reactions served in the heat of the moment and under duress by drivers.

However, the McLaren charger warned that Formula 1 would lose the "rawness of drivers and their thoughts and their feelings and things like that" if widespread censorship is applied.

"When I listen to it, I find it cool and I find it exciting when you listen to these kinds of things,” Norris argued.

"It's not just nice gentle soft language that people are using. So, I'm sure there's plenty of other sports and things you can go watch if that's what you want to hear."

Norris noted that drivers are "just the guys in the heat of the moment, under stress, under pressure, fighting, having big crashes”.

“It's just a lot easier for them to say than for us to do because we're out there putting our hearts on the line on trying to race people and we're giving it our all,” he said.

"Our heart rates are so high. We're just putting our passion and our love into it. Of course, there's going to be some bad words on the other side of it, but it's just because we're trying, we're wanting to give our best and we feel hard done by when things don't go right.

"And if it's because of excitement and stuff, that's because we're happy for what goes into it."

Max Verstappen was on the same page as his championship rival but offered a more pointed opinion, just minutes after using the F-word during the drivers’ press conference, forcing host Tom Clarkson to issue an apology.

"I guess the world is changing a bit, but I guess it already starts with not broadcasting it," commented Verstappen. “Or, not giving the option for people to hear it in general. That would help a lot more than putting bans on drivers.

"Because, for example, I couldn't even say the F-word and it's not even that bad. 'The car was not working, the car is Effed' – and [it's] 'excuse me for the language'.

"But, come on. Like, what are we? Five-year-olds? Six-year-olds? Even if a five-year-old or six-year-old is watching, they will eventually swear anyway.

"Even if their parents will not allow it, when they grow up they will walk round with their friends and they will be swearing. This is not changing anything."

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