"Absolute doorknobs running this circus": Fans react to FIA's latest guidelines where F1 drivers could face 'misconduct bans'

F1 fans were left raging after the FIA announced its latest guidelines, under which drivers could face bans for misconduct. In recent times, the sport's governing body has taken a pretty harsh stance on driver behavior during race weekends and has gone to certain lengths to make its points.

The FIA, under the leadership of President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, covered topics like swearing, causing moral injury to the governing body and publicly speaking on issues like politics, religion, etc. in the new guidelines.

F1 drivers could face huge fines or suspension from racing, along with points deduction, if they were found breaching any of the new guidelines.

F1 fans took to social media to give their reactions to the new FIA guidelines on X, with one fan claiming:

"Gonna start fining and banning grown men competing in the world’s most exclusive motorsport… for the unforgivable crime of talking like grown men competing in the world’s most exclusive motorsport. Absolute doorknobs running this circus."

"So is this yet another way to push Max into early retirement?"

"I think the drivers should join forces and announce a strike for the first race to force the FIA to retract these ridiculous rules. It will work if they all do it."

Here are some more reactions:

"Glad to see the FIA have been listening to the statements from the GPDA," remarked a fan sarcastically.

"The FIA is sucking the enjoyment out of Formula 1," said another.

"This is so dumb, it removes authenticity from the spectacle," claimed another.

Red Bull F1 champion hints at early retirement after his row with FIA

Red Bull driver Max Verstappen stated that FIA's stances on issues such as swearing could also determine his future in the sport after he was punished for using a cuss word in the press conference at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.

As per BBC, the four-time F1 world champion reflected on his row with the governing body and his future in F1 and said:

"These kinds of things definitely decide my future as well, when you can’t be yourself or you have to deal with these kinds of silly things. Now I am at the stage of my career where you don’t want to be dealing with this all the time. It’s really tiring. For me, that is not a way of continuing in the sport, that’s for sure."

"If you can’t really be yourself to the fullest, then it’s better not to speak. But that’s what no one wants because then you become a robot and that’s not how you should be going about it in the sport."

The reigning F1 world champion or any other member of the GPDA has not given his reactions to the latest FIA guidelines after making their stance public at the end of the 2024 season.