The Frenchman Fourmaux was the first rally driver to actually be penalized under the new regulations and risks an additional 20,000 euro fine if it happens again.
In the open letter, rally stars such as the eight-time World Champion Sébastien Ogier and Swede Oliver Solberg write that penalties for "small, isolated and unintentional" language mistakes have reached an "unacceptable level", according to several car sports websites.
The drivers write that not everyone is a full-time professional and that the fine amounts are disproportionate to the average income and the budget of the rally team.
