Motorsport’s governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), has released the 2025 International Sporting Code (ISC) and guidelines. These set the rules and regulations that motorsport teams and athletes must follow throughout the upcoming season. The Steward Penalty Guidelines, outlined in Appendix B, stand out in the new code. According to the FIA, these guidelines aim to guide stewards in determining fines for violations of specific ISC articles.
The guidelines, which primarily impose restrictions on how drivers and team personnel may express themselves during FIA-governed events, come months after an apparent crackdown on explicit language by the FIA during the second half of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
Under this crackdown, the stewards ordered Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen to “accomplish some work of public interest” after swearing during the FIA Thursday Driver Press Conference during the 2024 Singapore GP Weekend. The stewards later fined Scuderia Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc €10,000 for swearing during the 2024 Mexico City GP Post-Race Press Conference. Half of his fine, however, was suspended.
The FIA’s crackdown on swearing faced heavy criticism, including from the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA) which penned an open letter, published on social media, calling upon to FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem to “consider his own tone and language” when speaking about the drivers.
FIA Guidelines aim to prevent “moral injury or loss”, misconduct and “incitement to violence or hatred”
Appendix B provides guidelines for applying penalties to breaches of ISC Articles 12.2.1.f, l, n, o, and p. The first of these states the recommended penalties for violations of Article 12.2.1.f.
Article 12.2.1.f, as described in the 2025 ISC, states that “any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA” shall be deemed a breach of the ISC.
Stewards may fine persons €10,000 for a first offence of this regulation.A second offence with a 2-year period can incur a €20,000 fine plus a suspended one-month suspension from competition. A third offence within that 2-year period can incur a €30,000 fine plus a 1-month suspension. The offender may also incur a deduction of championship points.
While the ISC does not list or give examples of “words, deeds or writings” which may constitute a breach of Article 12.2.1.f, Appendix B stated that the Stewards retain the discretion to consider mitigating factors, including the nature and location of the event, when issuing penalties.
Breaches of Articles 12.2.1.l and n may incur similar penalties.
Article 12.2.1. l prohibits “any misconduct”. ISC Article 20 describes this as:
“To be understood in particular but not limited:
- to the general use of language (written or verbal), gesture and/or sign that is offensive, insulting, coarse, rude, abusive, and might reasonably be expected to be perceived to be coarse or rude to cause offence, humiliation or to be inappropriate,
- assaulting (elbowing, kicking, punching, hitting, etc.);
- incitement to do any of the above.”
Article 12.2.1.n, on the other hand, prohibits “any public incitement to violence or hatred.”
Violation of “the general principle of neutrality” may require public apology under 2025 ISC
Persons who breach Article 12.2.1.o may need to issue a public apology or repudiate comments, in addition to facing financial penalties and suspensions.
This article, as stated in the ISC, prohibits:
“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.”
Appendix B adds that Article 12.2.1.o does not apply to International Series, classified as Level 1 competitions.
Guidelines require compliance with FIA instructions regarding appointment and participation of persons
In addition to these guidelines, the FIA has also issued guidelines for the treatment of violations of Article 12.2.1.f which states that “failure to comply with the instructions of the FIA regarding the appointment and participation of persons during official ceremonies at any Competition counting towards a FIA championship” shall be deemed a breach of the ISC.
Of the five regulations outline in Appendix B, violations of Article 12.2.1.f carry the most severe financial penalty. A first offence may incur a fine of €15,000, while a second with a 2-year period, may incur a fine of €30,000, plus“suspension of access to Reserved Area(s) of event for the next event.” Should a third offence occur within the 2-year period, the individual may incur a fine of €45,000 plus “suspension of access to Reserved Areas(s) of event for 6 months.” The offender may also face a deduction of Championship points.
Stewards may multiply base fines according to Appendix B guidelines
Appendix B also notes that the stewards may multiply base fines depending on the competition level in which breaches of the regulations occur. Thus, in Level 1 competitions (International Series), the base fine may multiplied by one. In Level 2 (FIA regional Championships and FIA cups) and Level 3 (FIA World Championships, except Formula 1), stewards may, respectively, double and triple the fines. Offences which occur in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship (Level 4) may incur a fine that is four times that of the imposed base fine.
Changes made to regulations defining inadmissible protest
There have also been significant changes to Article 13.7 of the ISC. These updates broaden the situations that may deem a protest inadmissible. As a result, competitors wishing to challenge a stewards’ decision may be unable to do so.
These updates include changes to the wording of Articles 13.7.1, 13.7.3 and 13.7.4. Under Article 13.7.1, the updated 2025 ISC states that “protests against decisions made by any judges of fact in the exercise of their duties will be inadmissible.” The 2024 edition stated that they would “not admit” such protests.
Article 13.7.3 now reads, “a single protest against more than one Competitor will be inadmissible” while Article 13.7.4. reads, “a protest lodged jointly by several competitors will be inadmissible.” Under the 2024 regulations, these articles stated that such protests would not be accepted.
The FIA has also introduced Articles 13.7.5, 13.7.6, and 13.7.7 which further limit competitors’ ability to protest decisions by the stewards or motorsports’ governing body.
The newly introduced Article 13.7.5 states that “a single protest against more than one Automobile will be inadmissible.”
Article 13.7.6, on the other hand, states that “a single protest addressing more than one of the subjects, as set out under Article 13.2.1, will be inadmissible.” Article 13.2.1. identifies these “subjects” as:
- “the Entry of a Competitor or Driver,
- the length of the Course,
- a Handicap,
- the make-up of a heat or final,
- an alleged error, irregularity or breach of the regulations occurring during a Competition,
- the alleged non‐compliance of an Automobile with the regulations, or
- the Provisional Classification established at the end of the Competition.“
The introduction of Article 13.7.7, stating that “any protest against a stewards’ decision will be inadmissible,” could further limit competitors’ ability to challenge rulings they perceive as unfair or contrary to the spirit of the sport.
