As the new season gets underway, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has made a significant tweak to its sporting regulations, aimed at avoiding the kind of contentious situations that have cropped up in recent years in Formula 1. Previously, teams had the final say on when to pull out of a Grand Prix if their car sustained damage during a race, following a collision with another vehicle. More often than not, these instances ended in penalties or fines, as they were deemed to compromise the safety of the driver or their fellow competitors on the track.
The revised regulations now grant the race director the authority to instruct any team to withdraw their car if its condition is deemed suboptimal, specifically if it has suffered significant damage that could be considered hazardous, posing a risk to the driver or other racers. This change is designed to prevent situations where a damaged car continues to participate in the race, potentially jeopardizing the safety of everyone involved. The FIA’s move is a pragmatic response to the evolving nature of the sport, where the pursuit of speed and performance must be balanced with the need to protect human life.
A recent example of the kind of incident that prompted this change occurred during the 2024 Canadian Grand Prix, when Sergio “Checo” Pérez made contact with Pierre Gasly, causing his car to shed bits of carbon fiber as he continued to drive on the track. Although Pérez eventually pitted and retired from the race, the FIA deemed that he had put his fellow competitors at risk, resulting in a three-place grid penalty at the next Grand Prix and a €25,000 fine. This incident highlights the challenges faced by teams and drivers in making split-second decisions that balance competitive considerations with safety concerns.
The New Regulations
To communicate this update, the FIA has reworded Article 26.10 of the Formula 1 sporting regulations to read: “Any driver whose car sustains significant and evident damage to a structural component, rendering it a risk to the driver or others, or whose car has a significant fault or defect that means it cannot reasonably return to the pit lane without unnecessarily obstructing another competitor or hindering the competition, must leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so.” The revised article continues: “At the exclusive discretion of the race director, if a car is deemed to have sustained significant and evident damage to a structural component, or a significant fault or defect, the competitor may be instructed to leave the track as soon as it is safe to do so.” This clarification empowers the race director to take a more proactive role in ensuring the safety of all competitors, while also providing a clear framework for teams and drivers to follow in the event of an incident.
The FIA’s decision to revise its regulations is a testament to the organization’s commitment to safety and its willingness to adapt to the changing landscape of the sport. As Formula 1 continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see further tweaks to the regulations, all aimed at striking the perfect balance between speed, competition, and safety. For now, the revised Article 26.10 provides a clearer framework for managing damaged cars, and its impact will be closely watched by teams, drivers, and fans alike as the season unfolds.