F1 2026: Protest Fees to Increase Tenfold Under New FIA Regulations
The FIA has confirmed a major overhaul of Formula 1’s protest and appeal system for the 2026 season. The cost of filing a protest against a competitor or submitting a request for review will rise dramatically, with deposits increasing by a factor of ten. This regulatory shift aims to discourage abusive or strategic procedures that have multiplied in recent seasons, often delaying race results and overloading the stewards’ workload.
A Tenfold Increase to Limit Abusive Procedures
Until now, teams could file a protest or appeal for €2,000, a relatively low amount in the context of Formula 1. Starting in 2026, the FIA will require a €20,000 deposit for the same procedure, as stated in Article A.7 of the updated Sporting Regulations.
This amount will only be refunded if the protest or appeal is upheld. Otherwise, the deposit is retained by the FIA, making frivolous or tactical claims significantly more costly.
Why the FIA Is Tightening the Rules
The decision follows a series of high-profile disputes in 2025, including Red Bull’s protest against George Russell after the Canadian Grand Prix. The team accused Russell of erratic braking under the Safety Car, triggering a brief overtake by Max Verstappen and leading to a formal complaint.
Incidents like this — often based on ambiguous interpretations or strategic motives — have pushed the FIA to reinforce the system to ensure that only serious, well-founded claims reach the stewards.
A Broader Overhaul of Appeals and Reviews
The increase applies not only to protests but also to:
- Requests for review
- Appeals of stewards’ decisions
- Technical investigations initiated by teams
According to FIA sources cited by Yahoo Sports, the goal is to streamline decision-making and reduce the number of challenges that delay the publication of final race results. The FIA wants to ensure that teams think carefully before initiating a procedure, especially in a sport where strategic protests have sometimes been used as competitive tools.
Impact on Teams and Sporting Strategy
While €20,000 remains a modest sum for top F1 teams, the symbolic and procedural impact is significant:
- Teams will be more selective about which incidents they escalate.
- Stewards will face fewer borderline or tactical claims.
- Race results should be finalized more quickly, reducing post-race uncertainty.
The FIA hopes this will create a more efficient and transparent regulatory environment as the sport enters the 2026 era.
By multiplying protest fees by ten, the FIA is sending a strong signal: only serious, well-justified claims belong in front of the stewards.
This reform is part of a broader effort to modernize F1’s governance and ensure that sporting disputes do not overshadow on-track competition.