Exclusive: Coulthard explains why he sees no merit in the FIA's swear ban

At the beginning of 2025, the FIA introduced a new set of regulations regarding drivers' unwanted behaviour. From that moment onward, as described in Appendix B of the International Sporting Code, drivers were strictly prohibited from using discriminatory or coarse language, showing up late for obligatory moments, or even criticising the FIA and its employees.

Breaking these rules also meant breaking the bank, as the established fines were relatively high. Sporting penalties were also still very much a possibility, depending on the situation. The regulations were met with a lot of criticism from both drivers and fans, who felt like the FIA had overstepped. On Wednesday afternoon, the FIA confirmed that it would be changing the regulations, but not erasing them.

Formula 1 has changed a lot over the years, and the same can be said about our society as a whole. Despite those changes, David Coulthard doesn’t think that the overall response to the code of conduct would have been any different if it had been introduced when he was still racing. “I think it would have been the same reaction as it is today. The world has gone through various evolutions, and at various points, people have been outraged by certain suggestions. Sometimes, whatever was suggested goes away, while other things become part of modern society, and we all have to dance to the new tune.”

The former F1 driver stresses that it is incredibly difficult to always remain composed in high-pressure environments, especially when you find yourself in the heat of the moment. “It's very difficult to be in the heat of the highest emotion, whether you're a fan in the grandstand, sitting in front of your television or behind the steering wheel. I think it’s very difficult to expect people to act in a way that is calm and considered.”

He draws a parallel between motorsport and football. “What do you think would happen if they tried to fine football teams when their fans swore at the referee or shouted that a player’s a w*nker. It would almost be impossible to police”, he emphasises.

Coulthard also pointed out that it’s not like the drivers are regularly using obscene language to deliberately offend others. “I think that what the drivers don't regularly do, is use profanity in an offensive way in press conferences or interviews.” He added that it’s up to the FIA to decide what radio messages they broadcast. “It's like answering a question that could be controlled without having to answer the question. Does the queen swear, does our king swear?” he asked out loud. “Yeah, I suspect they do.”

He added that we shouldn’t make things bigger than they are. “It's just a word. There's a four-letter word that's love. If I say love, people feel warm and cuddly. 
If I say the four-letter word “f*ck people go, ‘Oh, that's not very nice.’ It's just four letters. At some point in history, someone decided those four letters were offensive. Can you imagine if the word 'love' was taboo?” he laughed.

When asked how he would have reacted had the FIA imposed these regulations in his time, the 13-time race winner said: ”I would have used my energy to drive the car. It took all my energy to be the best I could. So when I used to get asked what I thought about some new regulations, I would answer: ‘I don't.’ Cue a confused journalist who would ask: ‘What do you mean you don't?’ and then I would say: ‘Well, Adrian Newey thinks about the regulations. 
I think about the sporting regulations because I need to know where the safety car lines are and how I can exploit the sporting rules to my advantage. But technical regulations, I don't design the car; I don't have any input.’ I only have so much capacity operating at my hundred percent to drive the car, so I concentrate and use my energy for that.”