SAO PAULO — Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has been fined €10,000, half of which will be banned for a year, after swearing during a post-race press conference in Mexico.
The stewards who issued the sanction stated that a “mitigation factor” meant Leclerc’s use of an expletive differed from Max Verstappen’s own swearing controversy in Singapore, which resulted in a community service sentence for the three-time world champion. Leclerc used the word “f—” to describe his emotions after nearly losing control of his car during the latter stages of the Mexico Grand Prix last weekend.
In the same press conference, he quickly apologized for his language use, stating that he did not want to face the same penalties as Verstappen had.
“Oh, I’m sorry! Oh no, no! “I do not want to join Max!” Leclerc spoke in Mexico. The stewards stated that Leclerc’s apologies during the news conference distinguished his use of language from Verstappen’s, who used the same word but did not immediately apologize.
“The stewards considered the mitigation factor that Leclerc was immediately apologetic,” according to a release. “The stewards, while recognizing the driver’s repentant behavior, determine that a breach occurred and that a penalty is appropriate.
“The stewards do not consider that this breach reached the same level as the most recent case and as such chose to levy a fine of €10,000 with €5,000 suspended pending no repeat within 12 months.”
The ban on driver cursing during press conferences follows comments made by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.
Ben Sulayem stated, “We need to distinguish between our sport — motorsport — and rap music.
“We aren’t rappers, you know. How many times do they say the F-word every minute? We’re not on that. That’s them; we’re [us].”
Ben Sulayem’s comments prompted seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton to express concern about the connection to “rappers,” claiming it played on a “stereotype” and included a “racial element.”
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