Introduced in 2022 and previously kept a secret, the F1 stewards ‘driving standards guidelines’ has in recent times led to heated debates inn the paddock over penalties issued – or not – and was the subject of an annual consultation with the drivers in the run up to the Qatar GP weekend.
The guidelines were introduced following repeated accusations that the stewarding decisions were inconsistent from weekend to weekend. Yet the codification of what is a legal overtake and what is a failed attempt deserving of a penalty has merely heightened the debate over whether F1 should have full time stewards.
Most recently, Oscar Piastri was penalised in the early stages of the Sao Paulo GP for attempting a move on the inside of Kimi Antonelli into turn one at Interlagos.
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Pretty much every ex-driver analyst believes the 10 second time penalty issued to the Australian was extreme and the matter should have been deemed a racing incident. Yet the document to which the stewards refer almost as a bible prescribed that Piastri must be punished because his from axel was not ahead of the wing mirror at the apex of the corner of the Mercedes he was attempting to pass.
So according to the guidelines, the decision was correct. But the question is whether this codification of overtaking moves is necessary at all or needs a complete reconsideration?
For overtakes around the outside, the rules are even more strict given this is considered a far more risky move. Here the driver attempting the move must be ahead at the apex and is then entitled to sufficient room to complete the turn without being forced from the track.
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Sainz calls for guidelines to be scrapped
Carlos Sainz alongside George Russell headed up the diver delegation for the meeting with the FIA in Qatar. The Spaniard has previously praised the level of detail provided by a number of ex-F1 drivers who are not pundits for Sky F1 and F1TV and believes this is the level of analysis is how the stewards should proceed.
“Every time I see this analysis that they do, and the verdict that they give, from racing drivers that have been recently racing, I think they do a very good analysis and they put the blame correctly most of the time on who actually has the blame or if it’s just a racing incident,” said the Williams driver.
Carlos goes on to advocate the scrapping of the current guidelines along with the installation of individuals into the stewards room who aer capable of providing such detailed analysis. “This is just my opinion but I am quite impressed at the job that some of the broadcasters do after the race with this in-depth analysis of the incidents and how they apply blame or no blame into certain scenarios.”
“I think that’s a level of analysis that I think is very high level and probably doesn’t mean we will agree 100 per cent on the cases of what these three ex-drivers give but I think they are a lot of the time they’re very close to being 90 per cent correct. If I would have to go and see F1 in the future, and the stewarding level, this is more or less a level I would appreciate,” Sainz concluded.
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Yet despite high hopes of progress it appears the outcome of the meeting in Qatar has once again concluded without a positive roads map for the future. Three stewards attended the meeting to remind the drivers the guidelines are merely that – not an infallible bible which is prescriptive for very situation.
The stewards insisted the drivers must react more responsibly to yellow flags than is currently the case. Further technology was proposed to assist the drivers in this endeavour given recent incidents where yellow flags/lights were outside the natural driving lobe of sight of the drivers.
The drivers made it clear they had a “preference” for hearings to be held with the stewards after the race when not all the relevant information about the incident are available at the time. However this is problematic for the fans, who are against wherever possible the final classified standings being altered.
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Fans prefer in race penalty decisions
McLaren’s disqualification in Las Vegas was announced when most fans in the same time zone had gone to bed and so the revised result was only the known the following day.
The kind of analysis to which Sainz refers that the broadcasters are offering, is not delivered hours after the chequered flag. It may take five to ten minutes for the back room staff to collate all the relevant camera angles, but the key is having an experienced driver to interpret the results.
Sainz concludes the guidelines have “created more problems than solutions,” and the results are “either white or black solutions rather than room for racing incidents.” The stewards did concede that the guidelines “cannot cover every scenario” which is why an experienced driver steward is recruited for each race weekend’s panel.
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Professional F1 stewards called for again
The F1 stewards are appointed on a grace and favour basis from amongst the various FIA member associations and are paid expenses only. Carlos Sainz has been a strong advocate of full time permanent stewards as is the case in most professional sport who employ the referees who uphold the rules.
“If you have to attend 24 races nowadays, then that requires a fixed salary. The job has to be meaningful because it takes a lot of your time,” Sainz added. However, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has resisted the call for full time professional stewards, arguing this could lead to some kind of permanent bias – although others may describe this as a consensus.
No decisions were finalised on how the Driving Standard’s Guidelines will be shaped for 2026, with the FIA withdrawing from the meeting stating they would take all the seating points into account.
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Following the disaster for McLaren which saw both their cars disqualified from the 2025 Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix, team boss Andrea Stella explained the team’s findings after investigations this week into the excessive plank wear they suffered.
The team had issued a statement apologising to the drivers hick also stated that they had experienced unexpected and excessive porpoising which affected the wear of the underfloor skid block.
McLaren failed to spot this due to interrupted running in the practice sessions, red flags and wet weather meaning the team never completed a proper dry run race simulation. Yet none of the other teams were affected, even Ferrari which has struggled all season with this issue… READ MORE
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
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