Formula 1 publishes new rules of conduct for drivers

The new race directors, Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas have started their first period in Formula 1 by drawing up Driving Standards Guidelines. The drivers and teams already got to see this report at the first Grand Prix of the season, but from now on it is also more transparent for the fan what drivers are allowed and not allowed to do on the track.

Especially the inconsistency in punishing drivers was at the basis of the creation of these rules of conduct. It should help the stewards to make the right decisions when a driver commits an infraction. It should be noted, however, that they are guidelines and are not binding.

The Driving Standards Guidelines help stewards, but it is mainly intended for drivers to determine what is and is not permissible on the track during fights with competitors. We give you a brief summary of the most salient paragraphs of the rules of conduct.

Overtaking via the inside of a corner:

"An overtaking car must give sufficient space to an overtaking car if a substantial part of the car is next to the overtaken car. The overtaking manoeuvre must be performed in a safe and controlled manner, where the car can clearly stay within the limits of the track." In doing so, the stewards will particularly check that the front tires of the overtaking car are no later than the apex of the turn next to the other car.

Overtaking via the outside of a corner:

"An overtaking car must give sufficient space to an overtaking car if a substantial part of the car is next to the overtaken car and the overtaking manoeuvre must be carried out in a safe and controlled manner, where the car can clearly remain within the limits of the track." For this, the stewards take into account whether the overtaking car has an advantage over the other car from the top of the corner.

Furthermore, the rules of conduct state that when "leaving the track and gaining an advantage," the initiative is placed with the team. The driver is given time to give back his unfairly gained advantage. If he decides not to do so, the stewards will look into the incident. There is a chance that a driver will get a time penalty of five seconds or more.

The first signs of this we already saw in the first Grands Prix. For example, Sergio Perez gave his spot back to Carlos Sainz in the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix after he may have gone over the line coming out of the pit lane.