FIA Hikes F1 Protest Fees and Expands Steward Powers for 2026

The FIA is implementing a major regulatory shift for 2026, dramatically increasing the financial stakes for teams lodging protests. The fee to challenge a decision will surge from €2,000 to €20,000—a tenfold increase designed to curb frivolous challenges. Crucially, while successful protests will be refunded, failed ones will see the fee deducted from the offending team's cost cap, directly impacting their ability to spend on car development.

Why it matters:

This move directly addresses long-standing paddock concerns that the nominal protest fee was a non-factor for multi-million dollar outfits, potentially encouraging strategic or time-wasting challenges. By tying the penalty to the cost cap, the FIA is creating a significant deterrent that forces teams to weigh the sporting merit of a protest against a tangible competitive penalty.

The details:

• Protest Fee Hike: The cost for a standard protest rises from €2,000 to €20,000. If the protest is upheld, the fee is returned. If rejected, it is a direct deduction from the team's cost cap.
• Appeals Process Tightened: Teams now face a non-refundable €5,000 administrative fee plus a €20,000 deposit for appeals, which may be returned based on the outcome.
• Steward Empowerment: In a significant change, stewards across FIA championships—including F1, F2, and F3—can now proactively reopen and reassess incidents on their own initiative. This can be done if a "significant and relevant new element" which was unavailable at the time of the original decision comes to light, removing the need for a formal team request for a right of review.

What's next:

These regulations, which take effect in the 2026 season alongside the new engine and chassis rules, signal the FIA's intent to assert greater control over sporting governance. The long-term effect remains to be seen, but the changes are poised to fundamentally alter how teams approach on-track controversies and challenge official decisions, placing a much higher premium on certainty before lodging a formal complaint.