New FIA guidelines could prompt F1 driver ‘misconduct’ bans

The FIA flag flying in Baku
The F1 drivers face hefty fines, a ‘1-month suspension’ and even a ‘deduction of championship points’ should they be found guilty of ‘misconduct’ or causing ‘moral injury’ to the FIA.
The FIA have issued new stewards’ penalty guidelines that lay out these penalties.
Drivers face fines, suspensions and points deductions
The FIA released an updated version of its sporting code on Wednesday with guidelines for offences committed under Article 12.
Last season FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem caused controversy when he clamped down on the drivers swearing, saying “we have to differentiate between our sport – motorsport – and rap music, we’re not rappers”.
Max Verstappen fell foul of that and was handed a day of community services before Charles Leclerc also swore in a press conference. However, his immediate apology negated his punishment down to a fine.
The drivers banded together to issue a strongly-worded statement through the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, telling Ben Sulayem that he should “consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers”.
The FIA, however, under Ben Sulayem’s leadership, has doubled down, laying out clear guidelines and punishments for infractions committed under Article 12.
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Article 12.2.1l states that ‘any misconduct’, which includes ‘the general use of language (written or verbal), gesture and/or sign that is offensive, insulting, coarse, rude or abusive and might reasonably be expected or be perceived to be coarse or rude or to cause offence, humiliation or to be inappropriate’, will be punished with a base fine of €10,000 for the first offence.
That amount though, is quadrupled for Formula 1 drivers, while drivers competing in other FIA World Championships will fork out three times the base amount.
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’.
Meanwhile, ‘words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA’ will be met with the same punishments as misconduct.
The same fines apply to ‘the general making and display of political, religious and personal statements or comments notably in violation of the general principle of neutrality promoted by the FIA under its Statutes, unless previously approved in writing by the FIA for International Competitions, or by the relevant ASN for National Competitions within their jurisdiction’.
However, for this infringement, a ‘public apology and repudiation of comments’ is also required. Again, a month-long suspension follows for the second offence with points deduction added to that for a third.
Under the new guidelines, the FIA stated that the 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’.
But Article 12 wasn’t the only section of the sporting code tweaked as motorsport’s governing body also issued new wording for Article 13.7, which relates to protests.
The new wording reads ‘protests against decisions made by any judges of fact in the exercise of their duties will be inadmissible’ rather than ‘will not be admitted’ while 13.7.7 now states that ‘any protest against a stewards’ decision will be inadmissible’.
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