F1 Drivers Break Silence on FIA's Release of Racing Guidelines

Newsweek

4 hours ago

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Formula One drivers have opened up on the FIA's push for transparency by publishing a racing guidelines document, which outlines the current rules and the corresponding penalties.
Drivers have often called for more transparency from F1's governing body pertaining to the regulations following several instances where rules were applied inconsistently by the FIA stewards for similar incidents.
Related: New FIA Guidelines Suggest Max Verstappen Should Have Been Banned From Racing
The newly released document aims to inform and educate everyone connected to the sport. Now, drivers have had their say about the step taken by the FIA.
Carlos Sainz
Williams' Carlos Sainz said that while there are matters yet to be addressed by the FIA, publishing the regulations for transparency is a step forward. He said ahead of the race weekend in Austria:
Race start during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Canada.
Race start during the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 15, 2025 in Montreal, Canada."I think there's no secret that, as drivers, we've felt over the last few years that there's been a bit of a lack of transparency and a lack of understanding with the main governance of the FIA, and even though the intentions might have been good sometimes, I felt like drivers have been always a bit left out, and sometimes our opinions were not listened to enough.
"There have been corrections, and we felt like there has been a good reaction to those corrections. But clearly, other times, we haven't felt that way, and we've made it very clear with our statements.
"But I can only see a way forward and getting better, because this year has certainly been frustrating for the most part. So let's see if it improves, and maybe today's press release from the FIA is already a sign of the intentions of making everything a bit clearer."
George Russell
George Russell emphasized that the FIA's efforts make no difference to the drivers. He added:
"Obviously, this is maybe more transparency for you, but for us, it doesn't really change anything.
"I think it is positive that you have those papers to understand what they are working towards. I think we'll have to see in due course. There have obviously been some small changes in the last couple of months, positively."
Lewis Hamilton
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton claimed that the document would not change anything about the way he drives. He said:
"I'm not driving to these guidelines, if I'm really honest, I'm just driving what I feel naturally. But, of course, the FIA stewards have a tough job. Every racing manoeuvre looks different.
"I think having some sort of boundary is good. I've not really had any problems in terms of they've not affected me so far.
"Different people come in, and different people come up with different things, year on year, and some of them are good. Some of them are not so good. I don't want to judge it just yet."
Pierre Gasly
Alpine's Pierre Gasly acknowledged that the FIA was working on the grey areas in the regulations. He added:
"To me, it's clear on how hard you can race and the limit of it.
"Obviously, as drivers, you always take it right up to the limit and try to use any grey area that you can. But I think step by step, we're reducing these grey areas. And I think it's, at least to me, it's very clear on what you can do and can't do."
Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri pointed out that the document contains guidelines, but the stewards will be in charge of handing out the penalties. He explained:
"I think the first important thing to point out is that they are guidelines. They're not set-in-stone rules.
"Trying to put in words every single racing scenario is impossible. So, it's a very difficult job. I think these guidelines provide the Stewards with some guidelines on what should be acceptable and what's not.
"Obviously, there are still degrees of factors that can't really be written down. Every situation is different, but I think it at least gives us as drivers some clarity on what is and isn't allowed.
"There have probably been some tweaks since they came out — I can't remember when they came out exactly, but maybe in the last 18 months or so.
"It's just important that people don't treat them as black and white — this is what needs to happen, this is what isn't going to happen — because even if you wrote 10 pages of lines and a driver's going to find a grey area just from the situation you end up in.
"So I think it's important to recognise that and not jump to conclusions like, "it says this in this sentence, so this is what should happen." It's still in the stewards' hands."
Max Verstappen plainly stated that he "hadn't seen" the guidelines since he was "busy."