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.

By reducing the submission window and charging for reviews, the governing body is deliberately trying to make teams think twice before accepting them.

Although these rules apply to all FIA-sanctioned racing series, F1 has been leading the way in these types of cases. The changes shorten the period of time teams have to request a review from 14 to 96 hours, giving stewards the option to extend the deadline if needed.

Requests that require a deposit
“The timeframe for submitting a petition for review concludes 96 hours after the competition ends, unless the stewards determine that meeting the deadline would be unfeasible, in which case they may extend it by a maximum of 24 hours,” the official decision now reads.

Teams also must now pay a fee up front for a right of review petition; this fee will only be waived in the event that the case is successful. According to the new rules, a deposit, the exact amount of which is determined annually, must be submitted with the request.

Beyond the Secretary General for Sport, the FIA itself now has the authority to request a review. 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, the ISC now imposes harsher fines for stewards.

New restrictions on fireworks and flares
The Council of the European Union has taken a stance in response to health and safety concerns, making it strictly forbidden to use fireworks and flares during events without authorization.

Additionally, the ISC has made rule violations easier to understand and increased the FIA’s investigative authority in appeals that are notified but not pursued. This includes allowing for fines in situations where drivers benefit from notices of appeals.