Rally Sweden stewards have handed Adrien Fourmaux a €10,000 fine, with a further €20,000 suspended for 12 months, for swearing on the live broadcast coverage of the event’s powerstage.
Fourmaux had an eventful rally, where he was among a way-five fight for victory until he dropped time after forgetting to fasten his helmet before a stage and then got beached in a snowbank two stages later on Saturday.
Having rejoined the rally on Sunday, Fourmaux was hampered by running at the front of the road order, so chose to save his tires for a powerstage push that yielded fifth fastest time and a single point.
During his stage-end interview, Fourmaux said: ““… we f***ed up yesterday”.
The stewards’ report states that, when summoned, Fourmaux explained “he was referring to the mistake(s) he had made on the previous day (Saturday, February 15th, 2025) and that he used the words in a colloquial and descriptive way, in the sense that he had made a mistake. He apologised as he did not mean to offend or insult anyone by using those words.”
The stewards’ report states: “The Stewards reminded the Driver and the Team Representative of the stance of the FIA regarding not only inappropriate language but also verbal/physical abuse, and making/displaying political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes.
“The Stewards and the FIA acknowledge that the words in question have unfortunately become common colloquialisms. However, it is essential to emphasize that this does not diminish the fact that such language is widely regarded as profanity and is inappropriate in public discourse, including live television broadcasts.”
The stewards determined that this was a breach of the 2025 FIA International Sporting Code.
The report added: “In determining the appropriate penalty for this breach, the Stewards have considered the following mitigating circumstances:
- This is his first instance of the Driver being summoned before the Stewards for such an infringement.
- English is not the Driver’s native language. The expression used is a rather colloquial term in certain cultures and was not intended to be offensive. The driver has acknowledged that it was a lapse in judgment, expressed in the heat of the moment immediately after finishing SS18 Umeå (Powerstage).
- The remark was self-referential, directed solely at the driver’s own performance, and was not aimed at any other individual or entity. There is no evidence to suggest that it meant to cause offense to any other party.
- The driver immediately recognised the inappropriate nature of the comment and issued an unprompted apology to the Stewards and the FIA. Furthermore, he voluntarily committed to posting a public apology on his social media account, which has since been published.
- The driver has assured the Stewards that he shall exercise greater caution in the future.”
