FIA to increase protest fees to discourage abusive appeals

The F1 Commission met on Tuesday, July 22, in London to discuss several matters, including a revision of the current protest system. In response to recent appeals considered abusive, notably Red Bull’s against Mercedes, the FIA is considering increasing filing fees to discourage protests without a solid basis.

Protests that annoy the paddock

The incident dates back to the Miami and Canadian Grand Prix, where Red Bull filed protests against George Russell and Mercedes. In Miami, the Austrian team contested Russell’s behavior in response to yellow flags. In Canada, Red Bull protested the British driver’s conduct behind the safety car, before withdrawing a second complaint concerning radio comments deemed unsportsmanlike against Max Verstappen.

These procedures were rejected by the FIA stewards, but they caused significant delays in the announcement of the official results. In Montreal, it took five hours after the finish to confirm Russell’s victory.

Toto Wolff, director of Mercedes, expressed his frustration on the subject during the Austrian Grand Prix press conference: « It is perfectly legitimate to protest. We are fighting for victories and championships, so if we believe there has been an infringement, it is normal to do so. But some actions, frankly, don’t hold water. Protesting for alleged unsportsmanlike behavior is far-fetched. Or protesting because a car doesn’t keep ten lengths behind the safety car… Ultimately, what matters is the delta. »

Indeed, Russell was merely respecting the delta, a time reference imposed by the FIA to maintain a safety gap between cars under the safety car. This system allows drivers not to have to estimate the distance visually but to rely on a predefined value, which is more accurate. Red Bull’s complaint for unsportsmanlike behavior was, therefore, not based on any viable foundation.

Wolff added that while some protests are justified, others went too far. According to him, waiting two hours to file a complaint, looking for reasons, then withdrawing one along the way was not productive: « We all end up waiting around for five hours, some miss their flights, and it leads to a result that, frankly, was expected. This kind of maneuver wasn’t necessary. »

Red Bull had multiplied the blunders, to the point that the approach seemed more like a joke than a serious complaint. The double change of direction showed a certain haste and a lack of conviction, which was perceived by many observers, including Wolff, as an attempt at destabilization rather than a genuine regulatory challenge.

Insignificant fees, Wolff calls for (a) A fine that hurts »

Today, filing a protest costs 2,000 euros, a symbolic amount compared to the colossal budgets of the teams. George Russell himself had pointed out the absurdity of the system, stating that this sum was not at all deterrent for structures with nine-figure incomes.

The British driver had put this figure into perspective with other sanctions, sometimes much heavier, for minor infractions such as touching a wing or using inappropriate language. In his view, only a six-figure penalty would have a real impact.

Like his driver, Wolff also believes that a harsher fine was necessary to make an impact: « No one likes higher fines, it’s a lot of money, and we must be careful not to appear disconnected from the real world. But in this specific case, yes, a fine is needed. I think the FIA president is moving in that direction. A fine that hurts a bit, that is slightly bothersome, so those who lose will think twice next time », he explained in Austria.

Towards a fee for investigations

The Commission is also considering introducing a fee for inquiry requests, regardless of the formal protest process. The aim is to limit repeated inquiries between teams, often without an official framework, but which can fuel controversies.

Zak Brown, McLaren’s boss, had also mentioned last May the repeated accusations, particularly those from Red Bull regarding McLaren’s tire cooling system: « There is a proper way to protest against a team at the end of the race, and you need to present a formal case, disclose where it comes from, and put money on the table. This process should extend to all allegations to stop frivolous accusations that only aim to create a distraction », he had stated.

This option, however, divides the paddock. Some officials believe that the right to protest remains fundamental in motorsport and fear that overly strict restrictions could have negative consequences, particularly with the approach of the new 2026 regulations, which could multiply technical grey areas.

The discussion will continue in the Commission’s upcoming meetings, before a potential implementation of the new measures. In the meantime, the teams will have to deal with a system that is showing its limits.