The FIA has massively reduced the fines Formula 1 and other top drivers could get for "misconduct" such as swearing, but introduced the option of grid penalties for "misconduct involving the abuse of officials".
Changes to appendix B of the FIA's International Sporting Code at the start of 2025 caused huge tension between the governing body and drivers in F1 and the World Rally Championship in particular.
The updated guidelines around driver conduct penalties included multipliers for repeat offences and higher penalties for world championship-level drivers that raised the possibility of race bans.
The first flashpoint came when WRC driver Adrien Fourmaux was fined $30,000 ($20,000 of which was suspended) for swearing during a stage-end interview in Sweden, an incident that prompted WRC drivers to form their own equivalent of F1’s Grand Prix Drivers’ Association union.
A meeting between F1 drivers and chairman of the stewards Garry Connelly at the Australian Grand Prix in March cooled the tension slightly by providing clarity on how and when the full force of the guidelines would actually be used, and FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem then posted on social media last month that "improvements" to appendix B were coming following further consultation.
The FIA announcement of the changes on Wednesday afternoon did use "improvements" to describe the latest update, which amounted to a significant softening of some of the most controversial elements of the rule and was partly an official ratification of the briefing F1 drivers received from Connelly in Melbourne to clarify how rarely the most severe punishments would be used.
The 'base fine' level has been halved from €10,000 to "up to" €5000 for most offences, and the severe multipliers for repeat offences and profile/seniority of championship that were previously in the regulations have been replaced with a suggestion that championships are to decide their own lower or higher rates based on any "mitigating or aggravating circumstances" in their own penalty guidelines.
But there is a new specific reference to "any misconduct involving the abuse of officials", for which F1 drivers will get a minimum three-place grid penalty for their next race if the action occurs during a grand prix session or a five-second time penalty if it happens in a sprint session. If a team member commits the "abuse of officials" offence, both that team's cars will get the relevant grid penalty.
Officials have the discretion to suspend penalties entirely for first offences, and the revised guidelines also make a specific distinction between 'controlled' environments such as official press conferences and 'uncontrolled' environments such as radio transmissions and rally stage end interviews, and to give due leeway in the latter circumstances.
FIA drivers' committee president Ronan Morgan, who was part of the panel reviewing appendix B along with Connolly and F1 steward chairs, 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."
Ben Sulayem had referenced his own rally driving background giving him empathy with drivers' reactions to the potential penalties when hinting at changes last month, and reiterated that in the FIA's announcement of the new guidelines.
"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," said Ben Sulayem.
"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."
