The FIA has extensively revised the guidelines governing penalties in Formula 1. The goal: fewer absurd sanctions, but much more severe measures for truly dangerous behavior.
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For several seasons, the penalty points system awarded to drivers has been a source of frustration in the Formula 1 paddock. Many drivers and teams denounced an application deemed inconsistent, with sanctions sometimes imposed for minor infractions that had little impact on safety or the course of the race.
Faced with these repeated criticisms, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has decided to adjust its approach starting from the 2026 F1 season. The idea is simple: focus disciplinary sanctions on truly dangerous behavior rather than on minor errors or inconsequential incidents.
Several recent cases have drawn attention to the limits of the system, notably that of Ollie Bearman. The Haas driver found himself very close to a suspension after accumulating points for relatively minor infractions, such as exceeding track limits or maneuvers deemed marginal.
With the new guidelines, stewards will now have a greater margin of interpretation in order to judge each situation with more pragmatism.
New guidelines for stewards
To guide the stewards’ decisions, the FIA has added several important clarifications to its official recommendations. These elements aim to better contextualize the incidents observed on track.
The document notably recalls that in the heart of a wheel-to-wheel battle, a driver cannot simply “disappear”. In other words, stewards will have to take more account of the presence and trajectory of other cars in their decisions.
Another important clarification: locking a wheel or changing its trajectory does not necessarily mean that a driver has lost control of their car. In some cases, these reactions can even be necessary to avoid a collision.
The FIA also emphasizes that some off-track excursions may simply result from the physical constraints imposed by the car and the circuit. Stewards will therefore have to analyze situations with more perspective, rather than applying automatic sanctions.
Finally, the notion of the apex is also evolving in the interpretation of incidents. The regulations recall that this point is not fixed and can vary according to the trajectory chosen by a driver or the configuration of the corner.
A more flexible approach to track limits
Track limits are also subject to a significant adjustment. From now on, during an overtaking attempt in a race, a driver who briefly goes off track without gaining the slightest advantage will no longer be automatically penalized.
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This evolution aims to avoid penalties deemed excessive in situations where a driver simply loses a few tenths after a failed maneuver.
In fast sequences or complex corner sequences, stewards will also have to analyze the situation as a whole. The goal is to evaluate the battle in its entirety rather than judging an isolated moment.
Reduced tolerance under yellow flag
While the FIA is showing more flexibility on certain aspects, it is conversely adopting a much stricter line concerning safety under yellow flags.
Until now, some drivers slowed down slightly to respect the rule, without really lifting off. From now on, compliance with yellow flags will be monitored much more precisely using timing data.
Under a single yellow flag, a driver must lose at least 5 % of their sector time compared to a normal lap in comparable conditions. In the case of a double yellow flag, the constraint is even stronger: the sector time must be at least 15 % slower.
The responsibility will now lie with the drivers, who must demonstrate that they have effectively slowed down by adopting the appropriate actions at the wheel.
Disqualification or suspension now possible
The new regulatory framework also introduces heavier sanctions for the most serious cases. The FIA now specifies that simple contact between two cars does not necessarily justify a penalty.
A slight collision or a simple touch could thus result in no sanction if the stewards judge the incident to be minor.
On the other hand, when a collision is considered clearly reckless or intentional, the sanctions could be much more severe. The regulations now explicitly provide for the possibility of immediate disqualification or even a suspension for the following race in extreme cases.
This evolution marks a clear desire from the FIA: fewer penalties for small errors, but zero tolerance for dangerous or unsportsmanlike behavior.