Drivers to Shape New FIA Guidelines Post-Austin Incident

The FIA has announced plans to update driving rules, with input from drivers, following a contentious incident at the Austin Grand Prix.

FIA to Revise Race Directives Following Meeting with Drivers at the Mexican Grand Prix

The FIA, the governing body of Formula 1, is set to review its race guidelines after a meeting with drivers at the Mexican Grand Prix.

This decision follows drivers’ objections to the penalty imposed on Lando Norris after a controversial incident with Max Verstappen during last Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.

During the drivers’ briefing in Mexico on Friday, the FIA, according to sources present at the meeting, announced plans to draft revised wording to address the specifics of the incident. This proposal will be presented to drivers for approval later in the season.

The FIA has not disclosed details of the changes, but the announcement came amidst discussions regarding Verstappen’s tactics for maintaining his position and whether he should have faced a penalty.

Initially, the FIA provided a rationale for penalising Norris. Some drivers subsequently disagreed with this explanation, prompting the FIA to announce that a proposal for review would be brought up for discussion at a future race.

According to internal sources, the FIA appeared prepared for this outcome.

The meeting was described as “civilised” by one source, while an FIA spokesperson characterised it as “collaborative.”

Most drivers believe that Verstappen exploited a loophole in the regulations governing the defence against an outside overtaking manoeuvre in a way that contradicts the spirit of racing.

The FIA emphasised during the meeting the importance of being perceived as consistent in its decisions, but drivers countered that consistency holds little value if poor decisions are being made.

The idea of making changes to the track layout was also discussed as a natural deterrent to drivers going off-track.

FIA Spokesperson: “There has been a general commitment to continue updating the guidelines on driving standards.”

“With the understanding that drivers requested the race directives and agreed to their introduction through the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA), any updates to these directives involve consultation with the drivers.”

“It is widely accepted that the guidelines should continue to evolve—not due to isolated incidents like the one in Austin, but driven by the desire to bring consistency to stewards’ rulings and decisions.”

Current rules specify that a driver attempting to overtake on the outside must be given space at the exit of a corner only if the front wheels of their car are ahead of those of the inside car at the apex.

Many drivers believe that the rule should be amended to include a clause stating that if the defending driver also ends up going off track, they should face a form of penalty.

Some participants in Friday’s meeting even suggested that the stewards could have applied part of the existing rules to penalise Verstappen for forcing Norris off the track.

“There is a rule that needs to be changed. It’s the one where whoever has their front wheels ahead at the apex has the right of way,” Gasly confirms.

“But then, how much control does the car have at that moment? Because otherwise, in the end, you end up with situations where you can just dive in, without committing to the corner, just to make sure your front wheels are ahead at the apex.”

“Even if you cannot make the corner, it would still be considered your corner. However, this could lead to other issues, with all the cars potentially ending up off track. And the driver with the right of way wouldn’t face any penalty, and so on.”