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There aren’t many sports as intense as Formula 1 both on track and off. 

In the cockpit, drivers are pulling Gs like fighter pilots at over 200 mph and coming within inches of each other, Off track, the politics and decision making are infamously ruthless, so it’s not a surprise that those involved would be prone to a fleeting expletive every now and again.

I mean, I’ve got a sailor mouth going 80 along the Mad Max: Fury Road that is I-4. Imagine what I’d sound like turning some laps at Monza.

But FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has pubically talked about curbing the sailor speak, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc both received punishments for swearing during press conferences.

Now, the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association — which is basically the drivers’ union in which all drivers are members and Mercedes’ George Russell is the director — has released a statement pushing back at the growing language policing and asking to be treated like adults.

The Grand Prix Drivers Association hit back at the FIA’s push to police their swearing. (Photo by Adam Pretty – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)

“There is a difference between swearing intended to insult others and more casual swearing, such as you might use to describe bad weather, or indeed an inanimate object such as an F1 car, or a driving situation,” the statement reads, per Sky Sports.

“We urge the FIA President to also consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers, or indeed about them, whether in a public forum or otherwise.”

The statement also took a swing at the FIA’s guidelines on jewelry and undergarments that some have found to be excessive.

Further, our members are adults, they do not need to be given instructions via the media about matters as trivial as wearing of jewelry and underpants.”

The statement comes just after Charles Leclerc received a €10,000 ($10,815) fine for swearing after the Mexican Grand Prix. Earlier in the season, Verstappen was given what amounts to community service for swearing.

What’s interesting about the timing of this statement is that it comes in the run-up to one of the most anticipated races of the season, the Las Vegas Grand Prix. 

There will be a lot of eyes on this one because of what a spectacle it is (plus, last year’s race was great), but it’s also the first race in which Max Verstappen has an opportunity to clinch his fourth straight world championship.