Drivers were notably silent in post-stage interviews, a clear show of discontent with the FIA’s current stance on in-rally conduct and penalties.
The so-called “swearing saga” began at Rally Sweden, where Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux uttered a single swear word during a finish-line interview. The expletive was used to express disappointment in his own performance. However, the stewards deemed the comment inappropriate and handed Fourmaux a €10,000 fine.
In response, the drivers quickly formed an association called WoRDA and issued an open letter to the FIA. The statement emphasised the importance of freedom of expression, particularly in the raw, high-adrenaline moments immediately after a stage. The newly formed drivers’ group called for open dialogue with the FIA and its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, as soon as possible.
The FIA, however, initially declined to engage in talks before Safari Rally. As a result, the drivers chose to remain quiet in interviews throughout the event in protest.
Now, it appears that communication has finally been established between the parties. Autosport reports that while the FIA had proposed holding discussions at the next round in the Canary Islands, WoRDA pushed to bring the meeting forward – and it is now expected to take place later this week.
The goal is to find a solution that allows drivers to speak freely in stage-end interviews without the fear of being fined during moments of intense adrenaline. Julien Ingrassia, representing the drivers’ association, is confident a resolution can be found before the Rally Islas Canarias at the end of April.
“I think in the end all the parties can be satisfied, as by the end of the week we will have a meeting, and we will have plenty of time before the next round to do some fine-tuning on what agreement we reach and how we can work together,” Ingrassia told Autosport.
“Once again our statements are very clear. We agree with the rule to be educated and polite, but we do not agree with how it is implemented. Our sport is unique – football and rugby are very similar, but there is only one sport in the world like rallying, and we need some adjustments. Now we are going to work on it,” added Ingrassia, who won eight world titles as a co-driver.
According to Ingrassia, stage-end interviews are a unique and essential part of the WRC.
“I am quite confident we will find a solution soon. The good thing about this is people want to hear the drivers’ emotions. The fans want to see sweat, blood, tears, smiles, expression and emotion. This is another topic that the federation needs to take into consideration. This is the best leverage to engage with audiences, create stories and create emotion.”
The issue of language-related penalties has also sparked discussion in Formula 1. According to Autosport, the FIA has informed drivers that going forward it will accept the use of strong language over team radio in the heat of the moment – as long as it does not offend anyone.
However, swearing during official interviews is considered a breach of the regulations.
If a similar policy is implemented in the WRC, individual expletives in post-stage interviews may no longer automatically result in fines.
