FIA’s Hypocrisy on Controversial Ban Hammered by Fans After Historic Gordon Ramsay Partnership

Formula 1 never fails to deliver a bit of drama on and off the track, but the latest saga has left fans in disbelief. The FIA, motorsport’s governing body, has landed in hot water once again over its heavy-handed approach to driver conduct—this time, targeting swearing. With a scathing punishment for Max Verstappen, the driver found guilty last time, the FIA’s latest move has landed it in hot water.

On the other hand, Liberty Media, which owns F1, has just partnered with Gordon Ramsay, the famously foul-mouthed chef. This curious juxtaposition has sparked a wave of backlash online, with fans slamming the perceived hypocrisy.

The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) had already made its feelings clear last year, effectively telling the FIA to stop treating drivers like children in a schoolyard. Their frustration came to a head following Max Verstappen’s punishment for swearing during a Singapore Grand Prix press conference. And now, the FIA’s decision to crack down even further on “coarse” language with harsh penalties, while the sport embraces Ramsay’s unfiltered personality, has left many fans and insiders wondering what on earth is going on.

How the FIA plans to square this with a motorsport audience—and drivers risking their necks at 200mph—is anyone’s guess. Fans have wasted no time calling out the double standard, and it’s fair to say the internet has been less than kind.

For those catching up, here’s the gist: the FIA has updated its International Sporting Code for 2025, introducing stricter rules on “offensive, insulting, coarse, or rude” language. Drivers who breach these rules face escalating fines starting at €40,000 and, for repeat offenses, even race bans. The changes include a clause forbidding actions or words that cause “moral injury” to the FIA or its officials—a phrase that feels as vague as it is contentious.

The timing of these rules couldn’t be worse. Just as they’re coming into force, Liberty Media announced an expanded partnership with Gordon Ramsay, the Michelin-starred chef known as much for his tirades as for his culinary prowess. Ramsay, who turned swearing into an art form on shows like Hell’s Kitchen, will headline F1 Garage, a premium paddock experience blending world-class cuisine with pit lane action. The partnership builds on Ramsay’s successful presence at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where fans flocked to his “Ramsay’s Garage” for live cooking and pop-up dining.

Fans call out FIA over swearing rules and Ramsay partnership

Fans were quick to spot the irony, with social media seething over the apparent disconnect between the FIA’s moral crackdown and Ramsay’s famously colorful language. Comments like, “Bringing on the guy known for swearing while banning drivers for a month for saying ‘f***’ three times” summed up the mood. The broader debate here is one of consistency—or lack thereof. On one hand, F1 drivers face mounting pressure to behave like diplomats, avoiding any comments or actions that might upset the FIA. On the other, the sport’s commercial arm has aligned itself with a chef whose unapologetically raw persona is his brand. Perhaps it’s the glaring contradiction that irks fans most. Drivers are expected to toe the line while battling the unique pressures of their sport. Meanwhile, the guy headlining premium F1 events is celebrated for his expletive-laden tirades. It’s a dissonance that’s hard to ignore. To some, the FIA’s approach feels out of touch with the spirit of motorsport—a world built on passion, raw emotion, and, yes, the occasional outburst. After all, who watches Formula 1 for sanitized soundbites?

At the same time, there was one person who saw the absurdity of the situation. It wasn’t the irony, but the fans who surprised this user. You see, while the FIA is the regulating body for a lot of motorsports, they don’t own Formula 1. The owners are Liberty Media. The fans’ lack of appreciation for this was summed up by the user as, “Judging by the replies,/quotes, its surprising how many seem unaware F1/ Liberty isn’t the same as the FIA. Not the same body making these decisions.”

Regardless, another quipped, “Do swearing fines apply to him too?” To be fair, Gordon Ramsay’s involvement in F1 isn’t new. His love for the sport runs deep, and his comparison of high-performance kitchens to F1 teams isn’t far off. Ramsay himself summed it up best: “It’s the complexity and pace of the cars, and the talent of the many people building and controlling them, that appeals so much. In many ways, F1 is like a high-performing professional kitchen, so this is the perfect partnership.” The expanded F1 Garage experience will launch at 10 races in 2025, starting with the Miami Grand Prix, and promises fans behind-the-scenes access, gourmet dining, and pit lane views. It’s an exciting addition, no doubt. But for some, the optics of this partnership sit awkwardly alongside the FIA’s stricter rules.

Drivers have already voiced their frustration with the FIA’s increasingly authoritarian tone. Last November, the GPDA penned an open letter asking the governing body to treat them like “adults” and called for transparency over fines. The letter reportedly went unanswered. One driver insider described the language crackdown as “ridiculous,” calling FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s leadership “dictatorial.” While some fans pointed out the distinction between Liberty Media and the FIA, the governing body didn’t escape scrutiny. “So, wait. The FIA releases a statement about language being penalized with points and then turns around and hires the most potty-mouthed chef in the world?” read one cutting remark. This isn’t the first time the FIA has drawn criticism for stifling dissent. Recent changes to its statutes have also been slammed as reducing accountability, and there’s a growing sense that Ben Sulayem is sensitive to any criticism. The new language rules—covering everything from swearing to gestures that might be deemed “offensive”—only add fuel to the fire.

As fans continue to hammer the FIA for its perceived hypocrisy, one thing is clear: this latest chapter in motorsport politics has left the governing body with plenty of explaining to do. And with Ramsay’s first F1 Garage event just months away, don’t expect the backlash to die down anytime soon.