Fans In Uproar After FIA Issues Staggering Fine To WRC Driver For Swearing

The FIA fined WRC driver Adrien Fourmaux €10,000 for swearing during a live interview at the 2025 Rally Sweden.

May 8, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Dan Marino and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem applaud during the award ceremony following the Miami Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

The FIA has imposed its first fine for language misconduct in the world of motorsport, sparking uproar amongst fans.

At the 2025 Rally Sweden, French driver Adrien Fourmaux from the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team was fined €10,000 for using inappropriate language during a live post-stage interview. The fine also included an additional €20,000, but this is suspended and will only be paid if he breaches the rule again in the next 12 months.

The FIA's move to issue fines for language is a reflection of a broader push for maintaining professionalism in public broadcasts. As part of their 2025 International Sporting Code, the FIA established Article 12.2.1.l to explicitly address inappropriate language and behavior at events.

This new rule set is not just contained within the World Rally Championship but extends to disciplines like Formula 1 as well.

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Adrien Fourmaux's career has been one of ups and downs, as he aims to make his mark in the World Rally Championship. During the 2025 Rally Sweden, his performance saw a mix of issues, which included a mistake in securing his helmet and a crash into a snowbank that relegated him to 40th place at one point. Despite these challenges, he managed to earn a point in the Power Stage.

The fine and its implications have ignited widespread discussion among fans, especially on platforms like Reddit. Comments from fans include:

"30,000… these guys are on the brink of death half of the drive and this is what they get."

"Not to mention 30,000 maybe isn’t much for F1 but for other series like WRC it’s certainly a reasonable amount. I’m not sure how enforced the rule is elsewhere but for other similar televised series like WRC2, WRX or ERC that can be a huge amount and could possibly stop a competitor, say a privateer from competing. I hope the FIA will take these factors into mind at the very least."

"This is worse than I expected. He gave a genuine and legitimate response that meant no harm. Mark my words, either MBS [Mohammed Ben Sulayem] will be out by the end of this year or Verstappen will. It'd be hilarious to see Verstappen in Indycar just to spite the FIA and Liberty."

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The FIA's decision was based on a thorough review of video evidence and testimonials, with a €20,000 fine suspended for a year, provided there are no further offenses from Fourmaux. Payment of the fine must occur within 48 hours to avoid suspension, according to the ISC's tiered penalty system.

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