WRC drivers at Safari Rally protest against FIA swearing ban

Drivers refused to comment or only spoke in their mother tongue to explain why they are not commenting during stage-end interviews during Wednesday’s shakedown in Naivasha.

It is anticipated that this stance could continue throughout the remaining days of the event that ends on Sunday.

Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux and Toyota’s Takamoto Katsuta were among those that remained silent when reporters posed questions at the end of the first shakedown run.

The latest move from the WRC drivers comes after Fourmaux became the first to be sanctioned under the FIA's new motorsport-wide clampdown on “inappropriate language”.

He was slapped with a Ksh. 1.4million (€10,000) fine and hit with a suspended Ksh. 2.4million (€20,000) fine for swearing during a television interview at the conclusion of Rally Sweden, last month.

Fourmaux was deemed to have breached Article 12.2.1.l of the 2025 FIA International Sporting Code that covers use of “inappropriate language” after saying “we f***ed up yesterday” during an interview when referring to a messy start to stage 11. 

Following the sanctions, WRC drivers and co-drivers have since formed an alliance known as the World Rally Drivers Alliance (WoRDA), similar to the Formula 1’s Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA).

The newly formed alliance issued a lengthy statement directed at the FIA opposing the measures the governing body has taken to impose fines on drivers for swearing.

“We have asked the president of the FIA for some positive changes in the rules to help us achieve this goal.

“For the reasons explained in our statement, it is impossible for us to guarantee that we (drivers and co-drivers) will be able to follow these rules perfectly and systematically.

“This is why we - WoRDA members -  are now taking the responsible decision to remain silent at the end of the interviews or to answer in our mother tongue.In the own interest of our sport, such an action is unfortunately needed, and we apologize to all the rally fans, even though we know they support us in this.”

The WRC Safari Rally revs off on Thursday.

Additional material sourced from motorsport.com