With the 2025 season approaching, Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz have provided the first indications into how drivers feel about the changes being imposed by the FIA.
A few weeks ago, the FIA made changes to the sporting code – creating strong sanctions (including points deductions) for criticising the sport’s Governing body.
There have also been suggestions the FIA will more strictly monitor driver messages on team radio.
Unsurprisingly, the first driver interviews of 2025 confirm these new initiatives are widely unpopular.
Albon, Sainz speak out against driver crackdown
As mentioned previously on LWOS, it was inevitable that the topic of a potential team radio ban (in addition to drivers facing points deductions for causing ‘moral injury’ to the FIA) would rise to the surface.
Never before in the sport’s history have such drastic measures been implemented or even considered to address driver conduct.
Generally speaking, this is because F1 drivers avoid massive controversies – at least beyond the race track.
Because of this, the FIA’s decision to sanction drivers who make public criticisms is being met with backlash.
In the eyes of many fans, these new measures are unnecessary – a view that Alex Albon and other drivers share:
“There have definitely been discussions about it,” he told the media at Williams’ FW47 launch.
“It’s still ongoing about how we want to set out what we say around it.
“It is a delicate matter and, of course – do we think it’s right? Of course not.”
Albon spoke specifically about the changes that have already been legislated – fines and points removals to punish drivers that voice their disapproval.
READ MORE: Ben Sulayem calls for driver “discipline” on team radio
This disapproval is hardly a surprise, especially given that the GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers Association) stood by Max Verstappen in the wake of his skirmish with the FIA last year.
With pre-season testing only a few weeks away, others are likely to speak out on this issue.
Sainz: These moments show the ‘real driver’
Another talking point that has emerged in recent days is the issue of drivers swearing over team radio.
Of course, FOM (Formula One Management) already censors any words that are inappropriate in the official F1 broadcast.
This allows for driver communications to be shared authentically, whilst still maintaining an element of control.
Team radio messages are an immensely popular aspect of the F1 experience, offering fans a glimpse into crucial strategy decisions and driver observations.
Despite this, FIA President Ben Sulayem has floated the idea of shutting down radio broadcasts.
He argues that drivers should be ambassadors, calling for them to show greater “discipline” in their actions.
Also speaking at the FW47 launch, Carlos Sainz expressed his disagreement with these suggestions:
“What we say on the [team] radio, I don’t agree with what is happening [talks of a clampdown].
“I think you can not be too tough on these kinds of things,” Sainz explained.
“Because you cannot understand the pressure and adrenaline and the way we feel in the car when we open the radio.
“And I feel for F1, it is good to have those moments because you see the real driver.
“We are already very constrained as F1 drivers to what we can tell you about our teams, about out situations.
“We already have a lot of media briefings, they already tell us what to say on the radio.
“But when you hear that passion, those words, even if sometimes we swear on the radio, for me that’s a keeper in F1 and it is something we shouldn’t get rid of.”
A needless controversy for F1
As indicated in Albon’s comments, others on the field will likely share a very similar perspective.
Considering that fans and drivers appear on the same page, it will be intriguing to see how this saga develops.
Ultimately, the FIA’s latest changes seem to be creating a problem that never actually existed.
By creating greater restrictions on the drivers, further backlash from the most important stakeholders in F1 seems imminent.
