The FIA has reshuffled the penalties that can be applied to F1 drivers who swear or abuse officials over a grand prix weekend.
Fines for swearing have been significantly reduced, with the standard punishments being halved from €10,000 to a maximum of €5,000 for the majority of breaches.
Other, more severe fines for repeat offenses have been replaced. Its replacement is a suggestion that individual series can decide their own rates within their penalty guidelines.
These changes were announced on Wednesday ahead of the F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola as the penalties were softened and revised by the FIA.
Five-second penalties and three place grid drops can now be applied
Formula 1 drivers can now receive sporting penalties if they lash out at the officials over a race weekend, rather than just a monetary penalty for swearing.
A minimum drop of three places will be awarded to the next race if a driver steps outside of the regulations in a grand prix session and abuses officials. Meanwhile, a five-second time penalty will be issued if the offense occurs in a sprint session.
FIA drivers’ committee president Ronan Morgan was involved in the decision-making around this rule change and sat on the panel that reviewed appendix b of the rulebook.
Morgan emphasised the importance of drivers keeping their emotions under control, especially as younger fans engage with the world championship.
He said: “Drivers are looked up to as role models by young fans and are rightly seen as ambassadors for the wider world of motorsport, how they act really does matter but it is important to recognise that there is a difference between what is said during a race and in a press conference.
“Today’s changes further strengthen the FIA’s International Sporting Code supporting our drivers by understanding the pressures they face during the heat of competition.”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem understands the F1 drivers viewpoint
The FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, continues to seek more power within the FIA, but as a former rally driver, he said he understands how the drivers feel about these rules.
He explained: “As a former rally driver, I know firsthand the range of emotions that are faced during competition. I have led an extensive and collaborative review with contributions from across the seven FIA world championships, FIA member clubs and other motorsports organisations.
“The improvements the FIA has announced today to appendix B will ensure we continue to promote the best of sportsmanship in motorsport, while also giving stewards effective guidelines to act against individuals who may bring the sport into disrepute. The FIA will always be committed to ensuring motorsport is accessible for all our sporting family.”
