F1 News
Leclerc denounces FIA fines and wonders: Where does the money go?
Charles Leclerc wants the FIA to be more transparent about where the fines given in Formula One are invested in. Every Grand Prix, many receive fines for several reasons, including infractions, procedural errors. Or lately, for swearing as well in the case of the Monegasque driver. The big question is: Where does that money go?
After the Mexico City Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc attended the FIA's press conference, as he finished in third place. There, he was asked about the moment he lost his car. When answering, he said the 'F-word', and once he realised what he has done, he realised he is in trouble. Earlier in Singapore, Max Verstappen was given community service for swearing. The Monegasque driver eventually received a hefty €10,000 fine.
That both men were punished because FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed that drivers are role models and should be expected not to swear. However, the drivers themselves strongly disagree with that, they revealed in a statement the GPDA publised. They say they don't need instructions and pointed to the language Ben Sulayem uses.
Leclerc denounces the FIA
Talking to La Repubblica, Leclerc shared his thoughts on the matter: "We are reasonable enough to understand when we break the rules. On the track, it is important to have a steward who judges situations impartially, but to be fined for words that don't directly hurt anyone and can be said in the heat of the moment in the car is absurd."
"We ask for a bit of common sense and a bit more transparency about the destination of the money raised by the fines: so far we have not had any answers," the Ferrari driver explained.
This article was written in collaboration with Corwin Kunst
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!