FIA launches a transparency operation in Formula 1. With the most predictable presidential election in history approaching—following Carlos Sainz Sr.’s withdrawal for both personal and non-personal reasons—FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has made a public move. The governing body has decided to release the official guidelines regarding penalties for drivers during race weekends, as well as general driving standards.
The goal behind this strategic move is clear: to make the penalties handed out by race stewards more understandable, as they are often the target of heavy criticism from drivers, team principals, engineers, and fans. In reality, these guidelines have been known to teams and drivers for years and are continuously refined in collaboration with FIA delegates. Despite this, the controversies have never ceased.
FIA and collaborative work with drivers
According to the FIA’s announcement, the published guidelines list around 100 different types of infractions, recommended sanctions, and the associated penalty points to be applied during any session of a Grand Prix weekend. In most cases, penalties remain at the stewards’ discretion, depending on their judgment during a race weekend.
These penalty guidelines are regularly updated based on feedback from stewards, teams, and drivers, who collectively contribute to this operational manual. The goal is to define what is acceptable and what crosses the line. The difficulty in reaching consistent judgments stems from the complexity of racing maneuvers—whether overtaking on the inside or outside of corners, through chicanes, or during sudden direction changes—as well as issues like impeding or moving under braking.
It’s important to note that these documents do not have legal value. The FIA’s aim is to give stewards a tool that helps reduce inconsistent judgments for similar infractions. Steward decisions are ultimately based on the applicable regulations, the guidelines, and any evidence presented by the teams when an infraction is contested.
FIA pushes transparency, but grey areas remain
Rather than just a transparency initiative, the publication of these guidelines serves to show that the FIA is actively engaged. The nearly 100 infractions listed in the “Guidelines for Penalties and Points – 2025” highlight just how complex it is to issue a penalty in Formula 1. This season, there have been multiple instances where race control took excessive time to reach a decision.
Among the most glaring examples is the improper deletion of Oliver Bearman’s lap time during qualifying at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. In the recent Canadian Grand Prix, the incident involving Russell and Verstappen stirred significant debate. The reigning world champion accused the Mercedes driver of unsportsmanlike conduct and claimed he failed to maintain the maximum distance to the car ahead.
On the other hand, the RB21 overtook the W16 on the Casino straight, and the situation ultimately ended with no action taken. In some cases, decisions are made after hearing from the drivers involved; in others, penalties are applied immediately, leaving drivers no chance to present their view. This effort by the FIA to explain and justify its procedures is unlikely to silence the ongoing criticism surrounding steward decisions.
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