FIA reveals Formula 1 penalty guidelines for the first time

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has taken a significant step toward transparency — releasing Formula 1 penalty and driving standards guidelines to the public for the first time.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem explained the reasoning behind this decision:

“Stewards’ dedication is often met with extreme and unwarranted criticism. We are publishing these guidelines to demonstrate their rigor in decision-making and provide deeper insight to fans and media.”

FIA also plans to release similar guidelines for six other world championships — including World Endurance Championship, Formula E, and World Rally Championship.

The documents explain various cases, such as Max Verstappen’s Spanish GP incident resulting in a 10-place penalty and three penalty points. The guidelines also cover rules about overtaking maneuvers, track limits, and safety car procedures — which became relevant in the battle between Verstappen and George Russell at the Canadian GP.

• Collision without immediate consequences: 10 position penalty
• Track limits violations: 5-10 second penalty
• Safety car procedure violations: up to 4 penalty points