Ben Sulayem: I treat drivers like my sons and daughters [so no swearing]

Ben Sulayem, who has previously taken a hard line on swearing in official FIA press conferences, indicated that further measures could be introduced to curb drivers' use of explicit language during live broadcasts.

Speaking to reporters at the FIA officials summit at the Jarama circuit in Spain, Ben Sulayem outlined potential steps the governing body could take; he said: “Do we go on and then shut down the radios of live communication? Maybe.

"Do we delay it? Maybe. There are a lot of things that would work now with our promoter. FOM [Formula One Management] are the promoter, the FIA, we are still the owners of the championship," the F1 governing body's President affirmed.

Last season, the the FIA imposed penalties on drivers for swearing in official settings aka press conferences. Charles Leclerc was fined while reigning and four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen was required to participate in a public engagement event in Rwanda as part of his sanction.

Ben Sulayem also played down criticism from F1 drivers regarding his stance on language use, insisting he maintains a positive relationship with them despite their complaints; he went on: “Most of the drivers that speak to me, they have my phone, I am the most accessible president ever.

“You will see they speak to me, they are very happy. But of course, when I was a driver I used to complain. And when I don’t win, I will complain more. But I tried to be quiet and then wait for the next race to win. So you see, that’s natural, that’s human.

"How do I treat the drivers? Like my sons and my daughters. Honestly, I treat them with passion, with love. I treat them with understanding. I have been there. I want them to succeed," insisted Ben Sulayem.

He also went on to speak about Verstappen’s 'punishment' for swearing during an official FIA-hosted press conference and how the Red Bull driver responded to the obligation to attend an FIA event in Rwanda.

The FIA President recalled: “When he sat down – and he was nervous – I said, how about injecting back in the society, going and inspiring young girls and boys in Rwanda? Oh please, I will do that [said Verstappen].

“He was there, he was happy, he went there, hugged them, and it was a big plus for them. To see Max Verstappen coming to these people in Africa and then inspiring them, giving them the good words. They were so happy," Ben Sulayem added.

Ben Sulayem dismissed claims that Verstappen’s penalty was excessive, suggesting some reports had exaggerated the nature of his punishment; he said: “I remember, when the community service was given to Max Verstappen, what did some of the journalists say? They said the President is going to have him cleaning the toilets soon.”

The FIA has yet to confirm whether any changes to team radio censorship will be implemented for the 2025 season, but as the FIA President mentioned it will be in consultation with FOM.