Toto Wolff comments on the hotly debated “ban on swearing” in Formula 1—and surprises with rare praise for FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem
The “ban on swearing” in Formula 1 has sparked controversial discussions in recent weeks – including at the official F1 75 season launch in London in February. There, the recently tightened FIA rules of conduct for drivers and team representatives were partially ridiculed and met with negative reactions from the audience.
In April, FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem announced that he would revise Appendix B of the International Sporting Code, which regulates the “ban on swearing.” As a result, some of the fines provided for in Appendix B were halved from €10,000 to €5,000, first-time offenses by a driver or team representative were treated more leniently, and exceptions were made for potentially inappropriate statements made in an uncontrolled environment (FIA press conference vs. pit radio, etc.).
It is well known that Toto and Susie Wolff are not founding members of the Sulayem fan club. However, the Mercedes team boss now also praises positive aspects of Sulayem’s presidency. For example, he says, “You can’t take away from the president that he rules with an iron fist. He doesn’t let anyone tell him what to do. That can also have advantages.”
Wolff admits: Eleventh team is a win for Formula 1
Wolff’s comments about the FIA president were made on the sidelines of the Austrian Grand Prix. Every year, the Vienna native invites a small group of Austrian media representatives to a press barbecue at his home Grand Prix. At this event at the end of June, the current relationship between the teams and the FIA was also discussed.
Wolff also concedes to Sulayem “that he is probably right about the eleventh team.” Sulayem selected Michael Andretti’s application as the best in an internal evaluation process and has always been in favor of expanding Formula 1 from ten to more teams. However, rights holder Liberty Media initially vetoed this.
It was only when Michael Andretti withdrew from the project and US automotive group General Motors launched the Cadillac brand that Liberty reversed its original decision. A Cadillac works team is “good for the sport,” Wolff believes, adding: “So something positive has come out of it.”
Wolff: “I think his swearing issues are right”
While the eleventh team is an issue on which Sulayem knew he had the majority of Formula 1 fans on his side from the outset, the “ban on swearing” is more controversial. Many fans long for unfiltered characters like James Hunt or Kimi Räikkönen. But Wolff can’t see anything wrong with Formula 1 drivers behaving like good role models.
“I think his stance on swearing is right,” says the 53-year-old about Sulayem. He explains his opinion as follows: “Many of the drivers who shout over the radio don’t speak English as their first language. If a French or Italian driver says ‘Go and fuck yourself’ over the radio and thinks that’s normal, it’s probably because that’s what he’s always heard since he started go-karting. But if you translate that literally into his native language, he’ll be shocked.”
Wolff admits that he sometimes gets annoyed when engineers are yelled at by a driver in the heat of the moment: “I think the kids need to learn that you don’t insult others on the radio. The engineer has his family at home, and they’re very proud that their father or husband is looking after the race car driver. If the driver then talks trash about his engineer, that’s not good. And unfortunately, that already happens in the junior classes.”
Wolff speaks from his own experience. His son Jack now drives go-karts, and the tone there is no different than in Formula 1: “The eight-, nine-, and ten-year-olds talk like the big guys. They are their role models, of course.” From a parent’s perspective, the Mercedes team boss says: “I think it’s good that the president is taking a strong stance on this issue.”
“You can discuss where the line between swearing and insulting lies. During a race, we are also kind of the drivers’ trash can. They’re sitting there at 300 mph, wheel to wheel, physically and mentally exhausted, and then we tell them to please speak more politely. But that’s not the point. They’re allowed to let off steam. But it must not become insulting. That’s where we crack down hard.”
What is regulated in Appendix B
Incidentally, Appendix B of the International Sporting Code is not a binding document for race commissioners, but “only” a guideline. Among other things, it defines misconduct as “the use of language that could be perceived as offensive, insulting, rude, or abusive.”
Trivia: These offenses are regulated in Appendix B of the International Sporting Code. F12025 F1 Formula1 pic.twitter.com/MT1F28ehnw
— Christian Nimmervoll (@MST_ChristianN) July 13, 2025
Also prohibited is “any misconduct that involves abuse or disrespect toward officials.” Interestingly, while the list of penalties for “normal” swearing includes a €5,000 fine, insulting a race steward, for example, can even result in a three-place grid penalty.
However, it was particularly important to Formula 1 drivers in connection with Appendix B that a distinction be made between statements made in a controlled and an uncontrolled environment. Controlled environments include, for example, “press conferences, interviews, and award ceremonies,” while “radio transmissions between the car and the team” are considered uncontrolled environments. In addition, mitigating circumstances apply “if the person being recorded may not be aware that they are being recorded.”
However, many Formula 1 fans are unaware that Appendix B also prohibits “the general making and displaying of political, religious, and personal statements or comments.” Violating this rule carries a fine of €20,000, and the FIA may order a public apology.
