“There is a limit to everything”: Charles Leclerc slams F1’s ‘absurd’ swearing fines
Charles Leclerc criticized the way the FIA fines drivers for swearing. This response came after he was caught swearing in the 2024 F1 Mexican GP press conference while explaining his off-track incident.
In the final stages of the race, in Mexico, Leclerc briefly lost control of his Ferrari, risking a collision with the barriers at the exit of the final corner. Though he managed to keep his car away from the barriers, his off-track moment allowed McLaren's Lando Norris to overtake and secure P2 in the race. Leclerc managed to join the track and regain his pace, finishing P3.
In the post-race press conference, Leclerc explained the incident and let out a swear while expressing what he felt at that very moment. Soon after he swore, he realized his mistake and nervously laughed.
Following his mistake, the FIA fined Leclerc €10,000 for swearing in a press conference. The fine had a clause that €5,000 was suspended from the overall fine as long as the same is not repeated over the next 12 months.
In response to this, Charles Leclerc shared his thoughts on the matter while speaking to Repubblica. The Monegasque said that while on-track swearing should be monitored and punished, there was no reason to fine him or any other driver if they were not swearing against anyone and just using the word to explain a racing incident.
The Ferrari star also demanded more transparency from the FIA regarding where the money from these fines go.
"We are reasonable enough people to understand when we go beyond the rules. On the track it is important to have a judge who evaluates situations impartially, but being fined for words that are not against anyone, but abstract and in racing circumstances, is absurd," Leclerc said.
"There is a limit to everything. We are not asking for who knows what, a bit of common sense, as well as a bit more transparency on where the money collected with the fines goes: so far we have not had any answers," he added.
"I don't want to join Max": Charles Leclerc's hilarious reaction after he accidentally swears in Mexican GP press conference
Charles Leclerc hilariously mentioned Max Verstappen after he accidentally swore in the Mexican GP post-race press conference. During the session, he explained how he lost control of the car in the latter stages but kept it out of the barriers. He expressed the raw emotions he experienced during that incident and accidentally let out a swear word in the press conference.
Following this, Leclerc nervously laughed and hilariously mentioned that he did not want to end up with Max Verstappen.
"I lost the rear and then you forget about Lando and you just hope that you are going to take it back. I had one oversteer and then when I recovered from that oversteer, I had an oversteer from the other side and then I was like, ‘f**k’. Oh, sorry! Oh, no, oh no! I don't want to join Max!" Leclerc laughed.
Charles Leclerc hinted at Verstappen and how he was previously penalized by the FIA for swearing in the Singapore GP press conference. The Red Bull driver was asked by the governing body to take part in some social work as a punishment.