FIA publishes full list of F1 penalties and driving standards in transparency push

The FIA has published a complete list of penalties that F1 stewards can issue, as part of president Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s ongoing push for greater transparency.

On Wednesday, F1’s governing body also released detailed driving standards guidelines.

Rules surrounding wheel-to-wheel combat have been a hot topic since last year.

It stemmed from Max Verstappen’s robust defence against Lando Norris in the latter part of last season.

Separate from that, Verstappen has moved to within just one penalty point of a one-race suspension.

As a result, F1’s stewards and the rules have been put under the spotlight.

While both documents have existed for some time, they’ve now been made available by the FIA to the public.

Ben Sulayem, who is expected to be re-elected as FIA president later this year, feels that by releasing the aforementioned documents, it will take the heat off the stewards who are met with “unwarranted criticism”.

“FIA Stewards perform a hugely complex task, not just in Formula 1 but across all of our championships, and they do this voluntarily, with great passion and commitment,” Ben Sulayem said.

“That dedication is all too often met with extreme and wholly unwarranted criticism.

“To demonstrate the rigour with which they pursue their role, we are today publishing the Penalty and Driving Standards Guidelines that assist them with their decisions. This will give fans and members of the media a much deeper and more accurate insight into how decisions are made in Formula 1.

“The Penalty Guidelines have been a core tool for almost a decade while the Driving Standards Guidelines introduced in 2022 and constantly updated have brought the most important voices, those of the drivers, to the table to create a genuine reference for certain racing situations.”

George Russell: “A useful step”

Interestingly, George Russell, head of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, was included in the FIA’s press release.

Russell has previously complained about a lack of communication or involvement with the FIA.

As head of the GPDA, Russell represents the existing crop of drivers, and he feels they aren’t listened to.

“Greater transparency within the governance of our sport is an important issue and this is a useful step in that direction,” Russell said.

“Hopefully it will be beneficial for the sport to give the media and fans a clearer understanding of the rules of engagement when we’re racing on track, and to help them understand how the stewards reach their decisions.”

The full list of F1 penalties and racing guidelines can be found on the FIA's website.