One wrong word costs Formula 1 star Leclerc 10,000 euros

Formula 1 Pilot Charles Leclerc has to answer for swearing in a press conference. The English one F-Wort costs the 27-year-old Monegasque dearly. While world champion Max Verstappen had already been sentenced to community service by Red Bull for using the same expression, the regulators imposed a fine of 10,000 euros in the case of the Ferrari driver in São Paulo. Half were given probation for twelve months.

The International Automobile Federation FIA must ensure that statements made in public – for example at press conferences – meet generally accepted standards for all listeners and broadcasts, the race stewards said in their justification. This applies in particular to statements made by World Cup participants who serve as role models both inside and outside of sport.

The fact that Leclerc immediately apologized in the press conference after the Mexico race at least had a mitigating effect on the punishment. The race stewards made it clear that his violation did not reach the same extent as the most recent case – which obviously meant Verstappen’s faux pas.

Leclerc cursed after his third place in Mexico City when he spoke about a scene in which he braked in the final corner of the race and had to let Lando Norris overtake in the McLaren. “Oh, I’m sorry,” he immediately admitted – and added with a laugh, referring to the punishment for Verstappen in Singapore: “I don’t want to take part with Max.