Formula 1 drivers met with the FIA and stewards ahead of this weekend’s Qatar Grand Prix to discuss driving standards guidelines (DSGs) and the penalty system.
The meeting took place on Thursday evening at the Lusail International Circuit and lasted over an hour according to sources who say the majority of drivers wanted to provide input to the discussions. There were five specific cases of penalties and incidents that were highlighted to understand the drivers’ perspectives on each, as the FIA strives to continually develop the DSGs to improve decision-making.
“The DSGs are intended as a living document, have been updated twice since their introduction and are publicly available to improve transparency and help newer fans better understand stewarding decisions,” an FIA statement said. “The current F1-specific version has been reviewed and agreed with the GPDA.
“The stewards reiterated that the DSGs are guidelines and not regulations. They explain how the rules are interpreted in practice, with the aim of ensuring a level playing field and consistent decision-making. Data from the past three seasons shows that the DSGs have contributed to greater consistency in stewarding decisions, supported by detailed team analysis.
“After 22 races and five sprints this season – with dozens of racing incidents – the discussion focused mainly on a small number of case studies, which formed the basis of most of the debate.
- Piastri-Antonelli (Interlagos): overtaking from the inside
- Sainz-Bearman (Monza): overtaking on the outside
- Sainz – Lawson (Zandvoort): application of the DSGs in long radius corners
- Norris-Leclerc (COTA): track limits and what may or may not count as a strike
- Verstappen–Leclerc (Mexico City): leave the circuit and gain a lasting lead
The meeting provided important feedback from the drivers, with the FIA saying that the key findings from the drivers were a strong emphasis on respecting yellow flags, a clear preference for post-race hearings when stewards believe not all relevant elements are available, and a shared view that the guidelines cannot cover every scenario, emphasizing the need for an experienced driver on every panel.
“The FIA and the Formula 1 stewards would like to thank the drivers and teams for their constructive input,” the FIA said. “The discussion was frank, open and conducted in a very collegial atmosphere, which was greatly appreciated by the stewards. The points raised will inform any future refinements of the DSGs, in consultation with the GPDA and the FIA Drivers’ Commission. No changes will be made for the final two Grands Prix of the 2025 season.”
On Thursday, Carlos Sainz highlighted the level of analysis he has witnessed on television broadcasts, which demonstrates the standard he believes can be achieved in F1 stewarding.
“I think I saw an analysis of a lot of incidents recently after the races,” Sainz said. “Some of them are from Karun Chandhok, some from Jolyon Palmer, some from Anthony Davidson. And every time I see this analysis that they make and the assessment that they give – of drivers who have raced recently – I think they make a very good analysis and they usually put the blame on who is to blame or whether it is really just a racing incident.
“My ideal for the future is no guidelines and people who can judge these types of incidents as well as these three people do after the races. Again, this is just my opinion, but I am quite impressed with the work that some broadcasters do after a race with this in-depth analysis of each of the incidents and how they apply blame or no blame to certain scenarios.
“I think that is a level of analysis and a level of ‘stewardness’, if you want to call it that, that I think is at a very high level. That probably doesn’t mean that we will agree 100% on the things that these three ex-drivers are putting forward, but I think they are often very close – 90%, let’s say, correct. If I were to look at Formula 1 at a stewarding level in the future, this is more or less the level that I would choose.
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