FIA makes mid season rule changes after Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso's controversial crash

The FIA has recently introduced crucial changes to the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, following incidents involving prominent drivers Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso earlier in the season. These revisions come after a series of contentious moments during the Chinese Grand Prix, particularly during the Sprint race and qualifying sessions.

The first significant incident occurred between Alonso and Sainz during the Sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix. The clash resulted in a puncture for Alonso, forcing him to retire from the race—the only driver to do so in that session. Notably, this caused a stir as the race director found no real consequences to Alonso due to a loophole in the rules.

Here is the video of the incident:

i miss you… come back to us checo sprint race in Chinese gp pic.twitter.com/XYlRcP655d

— carol (dave york’s wife) (@verstabben_) July 30, 2024

In response, the FIA held a meeting with the World Motorsport Council to address these concerns. One of the key outcomes was a revision to Article 54.3 of the F1 Sporting Regulations. Previously, the rules were somewhat ambiguous regarding penalties for drivers who retire from a race after receiving a penalty. Alonso faced nothing as the incident occurred in the Sprint race.

To close this loophole, the revised clause now stipulates that if a driver cannot serve a penalty due to being unclassified or retiring from a session, the stewards have the authority to impose a grid penalty at the next race. This change ensures that penalties carry real weight, even if a driver retires from a session, thereby maintaining the integrity of the sport.

A qualifying crash of Sainz proposes another change

Another notable amendment addresses incidents during qualifying sessions. During the same Grand Prix, Sainz crashed his Ferrari during qualifying but managed to continue without receiving any outside assistance. Aston Martin protested, arguing that Sainz should not have been allowed to continue in the session. Although their protest was unsuccessful, it prompted the FIA to refine the regulations.

Here is the video:

Carlos Sainz looked all but out of qualifying after hitting the barriers...



But he and the Ferrari mechanics had other ideas 💪



Aston Martin have lodged a complaint with the stewards since the incident as Carlos got going again after a Red Flag#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/SV5yh9Nb3A

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 20, 2024

The updated rule now states that any driver whose car stops on the track during qualifying or sprint qualifying and receives physical assistance will not be permitted to continue in that session. However, Sainz’s actions would still be deemed legal under this revised rule, as he did not receive any external help when rejoining the track.