The governing body of motorsport, the FIA, has broadened the scope of its rule against ‘misconduct’ used increasingly in Formula 1.
The FIA has introduced new restrictions and modified areas of its International Sporting Code for 2024.
The code outlines the underlying principals and procedures that act as a basis for the rules and regulations for all national and international motorsport competitions which fall under its governance.
The newest edition of the code, coming into effect from January 1st 2024, features a handful of changes that will have an impact on Formula 1 and other major championships.
A key change comes to the controversial article 12.2.1 (k), which previously outlawed any ‘misconduct’ by participants to ‘officials’, ‘officers or member of FIA staff’, ‘organisers or promoters’, ‘doping control officials’ among others. While separate from article 12.2.1. (f), which forbids “any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers”, article 12.2.1 (k) has been cited multiple times in Formula 1 over the last three seasons.
After Red Bull driver Max Verstappen lost his best qualifying time at the 2021 Qatar Grand Prix for a yellow flag infringement, team principal Christian Horner received an official warning from the stewards as he was deemed to have breached both articles for comments to the media blaming the penalty on a “rogue marshal”. Haas team principal Guenther Steiner was reprimanded for breaching the ‘misconduct’ article earlier this year after driver Nico Hulkenberg was penalised for a rash move on Logan Sargeant on the first lap of the Monaco Grand Prix. Steiner criticised the stewards’ decision the following weekend in Barcelona and was cited for referring to the stewards as “laymen”.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Following the final grand prix of the 2023 season in Abu Dhabi, Sergio Perez received a formal warning from the stewards after he was deemed to have made “comments that amount[ed] to personal insults” towards the stewards on team radio after the race due to his anger at receiving a time penalty for a clash with Lando Norris late in the race. Again, Perez was cited for a breach of article 12.2.1 (k) on misconduct.
However, in the 2024 edition of the International Sporting Code, article 12.2.1 (k) has had all specificity about officials, organisers, promoters and other individuals removed…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at RaceFans…