The FIA’s new penalty guidelines ahead of the 2025 season have stirred up considerable controversy. The stricter penalties for driver misconduct, including swearing, faced resistance from Formula 1 even before they were announced. Reportedly, several FIA employees themselves were also against the new guidelines and how they were pushed through without extensive consultation.
In the new penalty guidelines announced on Wednesday, it is stated that drivers will be punished more severely for ‘misconduct’. This not only includes foul language, but also “gestures or signs that are offensive, hurtful or coarse”. Words or actions that cause moral damage to the FIA itself and political, religious or personal statements that could harm the FIA’s principle of neutrality are also facing stricter penalties.
According to an FIA representative, the new guidelines are intended to “provide more transparency and consistency in decision-making. The purpose of this new appendix is to give stewards clear guidelines regarding the penalties for violations of specific articles from the international sports code.”BBC Sport, however, reports that ‘many’ people at the FIA were against the plan. According to the British medium, “one source said the plan had been pushed through after a ‘quick e-vote and without consultation with other stakeholders or the GPDA or the FIA’s own drivers’ committee’.” Another employee reportedly wondered why the penalty guidelines could not be discussed at the next meeting of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC).
Ridiculous
The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, the union for the drivers, has “no comment at this time”. According to BBC Sport, a source from one of the drivers’ camps said the new penalty guidelines were ‘ridiculous’. “He (FIA Chairman Mohammed Ben Sulayem) is acting like a dictator,” was added according to the British medium.
