Formula 1 set to relax reprimand rule for 2022 season. F1 reprimand rules partially relaxed for 2022 incidents.

Formula 1 is set to relax the reprimand rule for the 2022 championship, by increasing the number from three to five before a driver receives a grid penalty.

Drivers can get reprimands for small incidents, like a pit lane entry mistake, such as what happened to McLaren’s Lando Norris last year at the Sochi Autodrom, to failing to remove a t-shirt for a national anthem, as Sebastian Vettel found out at the Hungaroring circuit in 2021. Until now, three such warnings led to a ten place grid penalty on Sunday’s race: “Any driver who receives three (3) reprimands in the same championship will, upon the imposition of the third, be given a ten (10) grid place penalty for the race at that event,” read the rule.

At the same time, the regulation also states that “the ten (10) grid place penalty will only be imposed if at least two (2) of the reprimands were imposed for a driving infringement.”

This rule will be changed ahead of the 2022 campaign. Instead of three offences, drivers now have to commit five, which must be driving infringements, for them to incur the penalty. That stays the same, a 10-place grid drop.

Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection from Puma!

As reported by German automobile magazine Auto Motor und Sport “the rule change was introduced to respond to the increased number of races. When the corresponding paragraph was included in the sporting law, a season still comprised 17 races. With 23 grand prix weeks now, you get into the dangerous zone much faster. Those responsible want to reduce the risk of drivers suddenly getting a handicap in an exciting final sprint of the season.” – AMuS informs.

Last season 11 drivers were handed reprimands with Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Raikkonen and Esteban Ocon all given two. As for the sport’s penalty points system, “nothing will change here for the time being” reports the German publication.

The penalty points system is held over a 12-month rolling period with Yuki Tsunoda starting his second with AlphaTauri with eight to his name. Red Bull team-mates Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez both have seven. The Japanese racing driver’s first point is set to expire in April as will Serio Perez’s. Max Verstappen has to wait until 12 September before his tally drops.

Any driver who reaches 12 points in 12 months is handed a one-race ban.