Leclerc fined €10k by FIA for swearing

SAO PAULO — Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has been fined €10,000 — half of which will be suspended for a year — for swearing during a post-race press conference in Mexico.

The stewards issuing the fine said a “mitigation factor” meant Leclerc’s use of an expletive differed from Max Verstappen’s own swearing controversy in Singapore, which landed the three-time world champion with a punishment akin to community service.

Leclerc used the word “f—” to explain his feeling when he nearly lost control of his car in the latter stages of the Mexico Grand Prix last weekend.

He immediately apologised for his use of language in the same press conference, saying he did not want to receive a punishment like Verstappen.

“Oh, sorry! Oh, no, oh no! I don’t want to join Max!” Leclerc said in Mexico.

The stewards said the apology during the press conference differentiated Leclerc’s use of language from that of Verstappen, who used the same word but did not immediately apologise.

“The stewards considered the mitigation factor that Leclerc was immediately apologetic,” a statement said. “The stewards while noting that the driver’s contrite behavior conclude that a breach has occurred and a penalty is warranted.

“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 clampdown on driver swearing during press conferences followed comments from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix.

Ben Sulayem said: “We have to differentiate between our sport — motorsport — and rap music.

“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].”

Ben Sulayem’s comments led seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton to raise concerns about the comparison with “rappers,” saying it played to a “stereotype” and featured a “racial element.”