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“Doesn’t Necessarily Mean You Have to Open the Radio”: Oscar Piastri Has a Quick Fix to Avoid Swearing Fine

Somin Bhattacharjee
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PIASTRI Oscar (aus), McLaren F1 Team MCL38, portrait press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz during the Formula 1 Grande Premio de Sao Paulo 2024, 21th round of the 2024 Formula One World Championship, WM, Weltmeisterschaft from November 1 to 3, 2024 on the Interlagos Circuit, in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Towards the end of the 2024 season, the FIA decided to impose a crackdown on swearing to ensure drivers don’t curse on the team radio. Max Verstappen, unsurprisingly, was the first victim of the policy. The champion had to put in community service hours as a punishment.

McLaren driver Oscar Piastri had pulled Verstappen’s leg a few months ago by asking him to express how he felt about the punishment. That too without using any swear words.

Verstappen called it “ridiculous”, taking a dig at the FIA, claiming that in the heat of the moment, he used a cuss word about his car, which was not targeted toward anyone. Piastri himself has found it challenging to avoid cuss words after McLaren passed a decree to not use any abusive language.

In 2025, the FIA, despite protests from drivers and other entities, has decided to increase the severity of these punishments.

Drivers can now be fined up to $125k for swearing, which has led to widespread debates on what is right and what isn’t. Even non-F1 figures like Gordon Ramsay have made a joke out of this. Piastri, however, has a simple solution to avoid getting penalized.

“In the car, you say whatever comes into your head,” the McLaren driver said at the F1 75 launch event when asked about the swearing penalty. “Doesn’t necessarily mean you have to open the radio all the time…

Piastri also acknowledged that drivers can be expected to remain ‘civil’ while in the car. However, he added, “We’re athletes doing our thing with adrenaline running. So, there’s only so much you can do to stop that.”

The Melbourne-born driver understands that it would be difficult for the FIA to prevent drivers from using the radio button or swearing in the heat of the moment. So, ultimately, it is up to the drivers to keep their language in check.

FIA’s plan to combat driver defiance

Drivers are unlikely to comply with the swearing crackdown and a statement from the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association seems imminent.

As a result, the FIA is looking to resolve the issue once and for all. Initially, reports suggested they were considering a complete ban on team radio broadcasts during races.

As of now, though, the plan appears to be to censor offensive language in these messages — a reasonable compromise that avoids upsetting either side. Fans, however, are not too happy with it.

At the F1 75 event, the mention of FIA was met with loud boos — a clear sign of discontent. However, this is unlikely to change FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s stance on the matter.

Post Edited By:Vidit Dhawan

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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