Wolff provides 'gentlemen sport' outlook in F1 swearing debate

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has issued support for the recent clampdown on swearing from the FIA.

Over the winter break, new guidelines were issued to competitors involved in the FIA-governed racing series that detailed penalties for misconduct, including swearing. 

They range from fines to being issued a race ban and a deduction of championship points.

Speaking to media including RacingNews365, Wolff pointed to attitudes present in other sports as he stated there should be respect between the drivers and officials.

“None of us, and I was vocal about it, likes to have these words expressed, because we are role models,” he said.

“You may laugh about it, but I think we’re a gentleman sport. We are high-tech, we represent that. It’s different to more mainstream sports.

“I see us a little bit [like] rugby, for me, it’s sophisticated, and nobody would ever say a word to an official. So I don’t think we should be swearing about officials, that’s for sure, and that’s why the FIA needs to protect that.

“For me, it is about respect – about respect to your competitors, respect to the officials, not insulting anybody, whether it’s your own people or whether it’s an adverse competitor out there on track.”

Wolff highlights when F1 drivers should be allowed swear

Some F1 drivers have outlined the difficulty of controlling their words when behind the wheel in a high-pressure environment.

While he is advocating for swear words to be outlawed in a controlled setting, Wolff highlighted his belief a more relaxed approach to policing the issue is needed when drivers are racing.

“It makes a big difference whether you use the F-word in the context of your own driving or out of emotion, because I’m using that if I’m annoyed.

“When it is directed in the car to another driver, to an official or to your team, I think this is what we need to prohibit, and we need to make a difference, in my opinion, between these two.

“We don’t want to mute the drivers and their emotions. If we’re in a press conference, if we are being interviewed, it’s a completely different setting.

“But in the car, as long as it’s not an insult, and as long as it’s not disrespectful to somebody else, I would just let it go, but that’s my personal opinion.”