23/11/2023
NEWS STORY
Toto Wolff and Frederic Vasseur have both been given official warnings by the FIA for their use of bad language during last weekend's team representative's press conference.
During the press conference, in reference to the incident in which Carlos Sainz' Ferrari incurred substantial damage from a loose water valve cover, Vasseur said: "This will cost us a fortune. We f****d-up the session for Carlos."
Leaping to the defence of the organisers, Wolff said: "You're speaking about a f*****g drain cover that's been undone, that has happened before, that's nothing, it's FP1."
Today, in Abu Dhabi, having received a report from the FIA Media Delegate concerning the use of "certain language" at the press conference both were asked to attend a hearing in the stewards room.
Having examined a transcript of the relevant part of the press conference, the stewards determined that there had indeed been a breach of Article 12.2.1.f of the FIA International Sporting Code by the two team principals in that the language used was not consistent with the values defended by the FIA.
The FIA regards language of this type to be unacceptable moving forward, particularly when used by participants in the sport who have a high public profile and who are seen by many, especially younger, followers of the sport, as role models, therefore in future the FIA will not tolerate the use of such language in FIA forums by any stakeholder.
Based on the submissions from the team principals, the use of the language concerned was - in this case - unusual and was provoked by an abrupt interjection during the press conference and therefore cannot be regarded as typical.
Considering the mitigating circumstances, the stewards in this case issue a formal warning to both men.
An odd move in all honesty since Guenther Steiner has achieved stardom as a result of his expletive-laden outbursts weekend after weekend.
Claims that Christian Horner said the leniency shown towards the pair was a "f*****g joke" are thought to be wide of the mark.
Check out our Thursday gallery from Yas Marina here.