FIA double down with ‘transparency’ claim after issuing new punishment guidelines

Logo of Formula 1's governing body, the FIA
The FIA insists this week’s decision to issue new stewards’ penalties guidelines has been done to further “transparency and consistency in decision-making”.
Ahead of the F1 2025 championship, motorsport issued new stewards’ penalty guidelines that could see drivers banned or docked World Championship points.
Drivers could be hit with huge fines and even suspensions
Setting out the punishment for ‘any misconduct’ or ‘words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA’, drivers across the full spectrum of the FIA’s international series can be fined a base amount of €10,000 for a first offence – but that will be multiplied by four for F1 drivers.
A second offence comes with a base fine of €20,000 ‘plus 1-month suspension’; for a third offence, the fine is €30,000 ‘plus 1-month suspension’ plus a ‘deduction of Championship points’.
The FIA’s guidelines have reportedly not gone down well with the drivers.
FIA issue new guidelines, but why?
? Explained: The real reasons behind the FIA’s new swearing guidelines
? Who is Mohammed Ben Sulayem? Everything you need to know about the FIA president
According to the BBC one source close to a top driver called it “ridiculous” and added that FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem “acts like a dictator”.
Another said it was “not right” while it’s being claimed “a lot” of people within the FIA were opposed to it.
It was reportedly pushed through in a “snap e-vote and with no consultation with other stakeholders or the GPDA or the FIA’s own drivers’ commission”.
However, the FIA has explained the thought process behind the implementation of the guidelines in a statement provided to PlanetF1.com.
“The aim of this new appendix is to provide clear guidance to stewards regarding the penalties for violations of specific international sporting code articles,” it said.
“By establishing a more structured framework, the FIA seeks to ensure that penalties are applied uniformly and transparently, benefiting both stewards and drivers/competitors.
“Stewards have the authority to decide what penalty to enforce in the event of a breach of the the international sporting code and/or the applicable FIA regulations.
“Stewards retain the discretion to take into account any mitigating and/or aggravating circumstances as well as the nature and location of the event, to tailor the penalty to the specific situation.
“All major governing bodies have similar rules/fines to protect the integrity of the sport. The FIA is not alone in fining competitors for misconduct.”
Misconduct includes swearing, something Max Verstappen was punished for last season when he dropped an F-bomb in a press conference. He was given a day of community services. Charles Leclerc later committed the same crime but he was given a monetary fine as he immediately apologised.
Read next: Red Bull give tongue-in-cheek response to new FIA swearing guidelines