FIA Amends Sporting Code to Allow Stewards to Re-Examine Their Own Decisions

The amendment, ratified during the FIA General Assembly in Tashkent, enables stewards to re-examine their own previous rulings under defined circumstances. This represents a shift from prior practice, where only parties directly affected by a decision could initiate a review.

What the Amendment Changes

At the 2025 FIA General Assembly, a formal amendment to the ISC was approved that extends stewards’ authority. Going forward, stewards officiating in FIA World Championships can proactively revisit their own decisions when they discover a significant and relevant new element that was not available at the time of the initial ruling.

This shifts the steward review process from being entirely reactive—dependent on external petitions—to allowing internal reassessment to rectify potential errors in light of new evidence without waiting for an external appeal.

Background: The Right of Review

Article 14 of the ISC historically provided for a « right of review »—a process by which competitors could petition for a decision to be revisited. Under the earlier version of the code, stewards could only reconsider decisions after such a petition was filed. The new amendment retains this right for teams but adds the « sua sponte » (on their own initiative) capability for the stewards themselves.

Implications for Formula 1

For Formula 1, the change means that race stewards now have greater flexibility to ensure judgments are aligned with the most complete set of facts. This could impact incident adjudication and post-race reviews where new evidence—such as additional telemetry data or previously unavailable video—comes to light after the initial decision.

Conclusion

The recent revision marks a notable evolution in motorsport governance. By granting stewards added discretion to revisit decisions when significant new information emerges, the FIA aims to enhance the integrity and fairness of competition officiating across its global championships.