F1 has been handed a major blow as their staff have been given rules to follow by the Saudi Arabian government.
On 5 December, the first ever Saudi Arabian GP will take place. It will be held at the Jeddah Street Circuit by a country that is hosting its first-ever F1 race. However, that excitement seems to have been soured by the rules put forward by the Islamic government.
As per Motorsport.com, the rules revolve around dressing and language, and both are causes for concern for the paddock. Racing in the Kingdom can be done only by following these rules.
The first will be the strict dress code. Every member on the paddock will have cover their arms and legs at all times. They will have to wear long trousers and shirts to their elbows. Transparent materials are strictly prohibited.
Women will have to cover their shoulders and legs above the knee. They have also been instructed to wear as little makeup as possible.
Team radio in shambles
In addition to the dress code, there are other bizarre rules which come with racing in Saudi Arabia. F1 personnel have been instructed to not show public display of affection (PDA). They have also been told not to use profane language throughout the race weekend.
The latter will be very interesting to see. Normally, drivers hurl cuss words left and right when another driver does something stupid, or they crash into the barriers, or for any reason really. If they are banned from swearing and using profane language, it will be interesting to behold.
The consequences for breaking any of these rules is unknown, but it is safe to say they won’t be tidy. Drivers like Yuki Tsunoda and Nikita Mazepin will have to keep their foul mouths reined in if they are to make it past the weekend without creating controversy.
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