The FIA has officially revised its International Sporting Code, bringing about changes to the right of review process utilised by F1 teams to contest decisions.
In a strategic move, the governing body aims to instil second thoughts in teams considering reviews by narrowing the submission window and introducing a fee.
While these regulations encompass all FIA-sanctioned racing series, F1 has been notably at the forefront of such cases, with the adjustments reducing the timeframe for teams to request a review from 14 days to 96 hours, allowing stewards the discretion to grant an extra day if necessary.
Requests accompanied by a deposit
“The period during which a petition for review may be brought expires after 96 hours from the end of the competition concerned, except in circumstances where the stewards consider that compliance with the 96-hour deadline would be impossible, in which case the stewards may extend this deadline by no more than 24 hours," the official ruling now states.
Teams are also now required to pay an upfront fee for a right of review petition, which will only be waived if the case is successful. The new regulations state that the request must be accompanied by a deposit, the amount of which is set annually.
Additionally, the FIA itself can now request a review, expanding the authority beyond the Secretary General for Sport. The ISC now includes higher fines for stewards, with caps at €1 million for Formula 1, €750,000 for other FIA World Championships, and €500,000 for any other FIA championship, cup, trophy, challenge or series.
Laws tighten on fireworks and flares
Unauthorized use of fireworks and flares at events are now also strictly prohibited, responding to health and safety concerns in alignment with the Council of the European Union's stance.
The ISC has also simplified language around rule breaches and expanded the FIA's investigative rights in cases of notified but unprosecuted appeals, allowing for penalties when drivers gain advantages under appeal notifications.