P1racenews AI automatic summary:
After pressure from within the F1 paddock last season, the FIA has raised the cost of protests, appeals and rights of review for the 2026 season.
The FIA has announced a significant increase in the financial threshold for protests, appeals, and reviews in F1, boosting the key deposit from €2,000 to €20,000, effective with the 2026 F1 Regulations. This adjustment comes in response to widespread dissatisfaction within the paddock throughout the 2025 season, particularly following multiple protests by Red Bull targeting Mercedes driver George Russell. Russell and McLaren highlighted that the previous fee was inadequate for teams operating with substantial budgets. Red Bull’s protests against Russell during the season resulted in delays and controversy, with both being dismissed by the stewards. Russell criticized the ease of lodging protests due to the low financial penalties, advocating for a six-figure sum to make teams reconsider. McLaren’s Zak Brown also emphasized the need for a more significant deterrent, proposing $25,000 and suggesting that failed protests should impact a team’s cost cap.
