FORMULA ONE drivers could be hit by race bans for repeated swearing or criticism of the sport’s governing body.

The FIA’s sporting code has been updated to outline the harsher penalties, meaning that should a driver commit three such offences, they will now risk a one-month suspension and deduction of championship points.

It comes as part of a wider crackdown on swearing by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Last season, world champion Max Verstappen was asked to “accomplish some work of public interest” after swearing at a press conference in Singapore.

Now the stewards will have the power to impose a race ban. The updated sporting code states that the initial offence will result in a fine, with the second also carrying a suspended ban.

Last November, the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association – of which Mercedes’ George Russell is a director – wrote an open letter asking the FIA to treat them like adults amid the sport’s swearing row.

It said: “Our members are professional drivers, racing in Formula One, the pinnacle of international motorsport. They are the gladiators and every racing weekend they put on a great show for the fans.

“Further, our members are adults. They do not need to be given instructions by the media about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery or underpants.”

Lewis Hamilton also had a long-running duel with Ben Sulayem over the wearing of jewellery in his Mercedes cockpit.

Verstappen, who has won four drivers’ championship titles in a row, said that the row last season left him considering his future in the sport.

“These kind of things definitely decide my future, if you can’t be yourself or you have to deal with these silly things,” Verstappen said in September.

“I’m now at the stage of my career that you don’t want to be dealing with this all the time. It’s really tiring.”