F1’S 2025 Rule Changes Will Reshape the Sport

Kavya Khandelwal
Mar 14
11 min read

Updated: Mar 26

Formula 1, as a sport, never stands still. It has been evolving since the very first year. This year, 2025, is no exception to that change. However, this is the next big change since 2009, which brought in the introductions of slick tires and the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). Those changes led to a dramatic shift in the competitive order, and led to a more exciting racing experience. This year’s changes, however, focus more on enhancing safety, promoting emerging talents, and increasing strategic depths. So, what exactly is changing, and how will it impact the teams and drivers?

1. Expanded Rookie Practice Sessions

This rule mandates that each team on the grid allocate more track time to rookie drivers during race weekends, essentially doubling the previous requirement. Prior to 2025, each Formula One team were mandated to allocate two free practice sessions per season to a driver who had not yet competed in more than two Grand Prix. In 2025, this requirement was doubled, with teams now needing to allocate four practice sessions to rookie drivers.

This rule was introduced to provide the emerging talent with increased exposure and experience. It helps to foster a stronger talent pipeline for the future, which will benefit the teams majorly. The change will allow the rookie drivers to gain more experience in a Formula One car, and could potentially challenge established drivers sooner.

This change benefits smaller teams more due to increased opportunities for rookie drivers, but it also creates more competition for established teams in the sport. Teams typically pick their rookie drivers from a number of different factors. The most obvious being driver academies, such as Ferrari's Driver Academy or McLaren’s Young Driver Programme. They are also selected based on their performance in Junior Series, for instance, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Oftentimes, the availability and team ties that a driver and team might have also play a heavy role in this, especially because the rookie is familiar with the team’s systems and can provide valuable feedback. Strategically selecting when and where to use the rookie drivers is extremely crucial. It is important to note the race where the loss of track time for regular drivers is minimised, and where the teams can collect most data.

This rule change is exciting because it brings a more diverse and dynamic grid with fresh talent. This could either lead to more surprises than ever, or more losses than ever, depending on the team, and the driver.

2. Elimination of Fastest Lap Bonus Point

This rule change has sparked significant controversy.

First of all, what is the fastest lap bonus point? This point is awarded to the driver within the top ten who sets the fastest lap of the Grand Prix. It is often used as a strategic interference, and is perceived as an unfair advantage.

This brings us to the controversy of the Singapore Grand Prix, 2024.

In the Singapore Grand Prix last year, Daniel Ricciardo, driving for Red Bull’s sister team Racing Bulls, made a late pit stop to take fresh soft tyres, thereby depriving Lando Norris of the bonus point. This was done to influence the driver’s championship by using the sister team and driver who were not in contention for points. McLaren’s CEO, Zak Brown, criticised the situation, claiming that it was an unfair advantage to benefit Max Verstappen’s championship chances.

However, this controversy was not the sole reason for the elimination of the bonus point. Many other drivers felt the bonus point to be unnecessary and focused more on tactical manoeuvres instead of genuine racing achievements. Carlos Sainz Jr. was one of the drivers who expressed that he never saw the need for the bonus point, as it was often achieved through circumstance rather than pure speed.

This rule will force the teams to focus more on consistent race pace rather than risking everything for a single fast lap. While this rule benefits drivers who excel in race-long consistency, it will challenge those who rely on late-race speed boosts. It has also garnered a lot of backlash from the fans as well. Some claiming that the fastest lap bonus point makes the race more interesting and shows the real speed that a driver could push their car for, and some claim that it does not impact the race in any shape or form, and therefore, isn’t a necessary aspect of races. But, with this rule change, the fans can expect more emphasis on strategic racing and less reliance on tactical manoeuvres.

3. Mandatory Two Pit Stops at Monaco Grand Prix

Seems simple enough, right? For someone who has never watched the Monaco Grand Prix, yes. But, this race was characterised by its challenging layout, which made overtaking extremely difficult. There were limited overtaking opportunities due to narrow streets and tight corners. Drivers couldn’t pass each other unless there was a significant mistake or a strategic pit stop advantage. The most common strategy used in this race was the one-stop strategy, where drivers would start on softer tires for better grip, and then, at around the midpoint, switch to harder tires to run to the finish. This was favoured mainly because it minimised time lost in the pits and allowed drivers to maintain track positions. Qualifying was an extremely important part of this Grand Prix, more so than the other races. Securing a good position was key to a successful race as drivers maintained their position throughout the event. An example would be the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, where the top ten starters finished in the same positions, and an early red flag reduced any and all strategic options.

This new rule aims to enhance the spectacle of the race by introducing more strategic variability and excitement. Teams will have to carefully plan their pit stops and consider all kinds of factors, such as tire wear, traffic, undercut opportunities, etc. This rule adds complexity to the race strategies, and could lead to more on-track action. The teams can experiment with different tire strategies, and must balance that with their pit stops. It also takes away the reliance on qualifying, and gives more opportunities for drivers to gain positions. However, it comes with an added pressure on the pit crew, as mistakes can lead to lost positions or penalties, which will add extra layers of tension to the race.

Teams with strong pit crews and strategic prowess will benefit, while those with less effective pit strategies might struggle. Given Ferrari's history of strategic errors, the Monaco Grand Prix will certainly be an entertaining race with this new rule change.

4. Stricter Penalties for Profanity

This has to be my favourite rule change of 2025, not because of what the rule says, but because of the outrage that it caused.

As the name suggests, this rule is to allocate hefty fines and potential race bans for drivers using obscene language. The FIA believes that under no circumstances, be it driving a car at 300 km/hr with the cockpit temperature rising to almost sixty degrees, or just media duties post race, are the drivers allowed to use any sort of profanities. They claim this rule is implemented because children watch races, and profanity could negatively impact the audience. It was certainly news to me that Formula One's target audience was children.

The FIA wants to promote professionalism in communication and maintain a respectful environment. While this seems like a good thing, it essentially restricts any sort of freedom of speech for the drivers, causing them to think about their words, even in the car, multiple times before speaking.

This rule was used last year with drivers such as Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. Both drivers were penalised for using profanity during press conferences. Verstappen was given community service for his incident. What is community service, you ask? We don't know. However, Verstappen did adopt a minimal speaking technique to push back against the FIA, and spent the Singapore Grand Prix 2024 press conference barely speaking more than a few words. He asked the reporters to ask him questions outside of the conference room, and held his own conference where he spoke freely. Found a loophole there, didn't he? However, the inconsistency in the decisions of the FIA can be noticed here, because Leclerc received a €10,000 fine, with half of it suspended, after apologising for using a swear word during the press conference following the Mexican Grand Prix 2024.

After the rule change, the first official implementation happened in February 2025, to Adrian Fourmax, a Hyundai World Rally Championship driver. He was fined €10,000 for saying "We f-cked up yesterday" in an interview, with a further €20,000 fine pending if he commits another offense.

The FIA has given "opportunities" for the drivers to not repeat their mistakes. The first offense of this penalty will lead to a fine of €40,000 for Formula One drivers (the base fine of €10,000 is multiplied by four for Formula One). This penalty applies within a two-year period. The second offense will lead to a fine of €80,000 and a suspended one-month ban. This also occurs within the same two-year period. The third offense will lead to a fine of €120,000, a one month suspension, and potential championship points deductions. That's right. Championship points deductions. This rule reflects the FIA's attempt to control all aspects of the sport, potentially penalizing drivers' championship chances for using profanity.

As expected, the drivers were not happy about it. Some of them did take different approaches to make their criticism known. Verstappen has been particularly vocal in his disagreement with the new rules, stating they are "not necessary" and the fines and potential bans are excessive. He believes that occasional swearing should not be taken so seriously, especially in the heat of the moment. I agree with him. He also joked that if he does get the second offense, he will time it to match his paternity leave. George Russell, on the other hand, took a more nuanced stance. He acknowledged that while there was no need to swear in a press conference, he also understood how difficult it can be for drivers who do not have English as a first language. He noted that swear words are among the first phrases learned in a new language. Rookie Oliver Bearman humorously noted he "can't afford" to swear due to the high fines, highlighting the financial impact on less established drivers. The Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) is working to find a balance between enforcing the rules and allowing drivers to express themselves naturally. Will they be able to stand against the FIA? Only time will tell.

Similar penalties as this would also be given to drivers who make any sort of political, religious, or personal statements without prior written approval from the FIA. Under the updated Article 12.2.1.n of the FIA's International Sporting Code, any such statements are banned in order to maintain the principle of neutrality. The requirement for prior approval means that any statement allowed by the FIA is essentially endorsed by the governing body, which significantly restricts drivers' ability to express their views publicly on socio-political issues.

The FIA attempts to provide a cleaner and more respectful broadcast experience to the fans, but so far, the fans are not happy with this change.

However, it will make the season much more interesting to watch.

5. Enhanced Regulations for Damaged Cars

The new rule states that the drivers must park immediately if their cars sustain significant damage.

Before this rule change, the FIA's regulations for damaged cars were less specific and did not grant the race director the same level of discretion to immediately order a car off the track. It required the driver to leave the track as soon as it was safe to do so if they had serious mechanical difficulties. However, the rule was not as detailed in terms of structural damage or the potential risk to others.

With this new rule, as outlined in Article 26.10 of the FIA's sporting regulations, it specifically addresses cars with "significant and obvious damage to a structural component" that poses an immediate risk to the driver or others. It also empowers the race director to instruct a driver to stop the car immediately if it cannot safely return to the pit lane without impeding others or hindering the competition.

This change was prompted by incidents like Sergio Perez's at the Canadian Grand Prix 2024, where he continued to drive a heavily damaged car to avoid triggering a Safety Car period, which raised safety concerns.

Because this rule focuses on removing damaged cars to avoid risks, teams will be unable to strategically influence Safety Car deployments. The team will have to prioritise safety over strategic advantages. This safety focus will also lead to a more consistent and predictable race conditions, as teams cannot exploit loopholes related to damaged cars.

The penalties for ignoring this safety measure can range from a black flag (disqualification) to penalty points to time or grid penalties in future races.

From this rule change, the fans can expect a safer racing environment with fewer interruptions due to damaged cars.

6. Revised 'Unsafe Release' Definition in Pit Lane

This rule change is straightforward. To begin with, an "unsafe release" refers to a situation where a car is released from its pit box in a manner that could endanger other drivers, pit crew members, or other personnel in the pit lane. This typically occurs when a car is released before all wheels are securely fitted or when there is a risk of collision with other cars or personnel. The new definition of an "unsafe release" has been broadened to include endangering pit lane personnel or other drivers.

The new definition provides a more detailed criteria for determining when a release is unsafe, potentially including specific safety checks or procedures that must be followed. It also introduces stricter penalties for unsafe releases, such as increased fines or more severe grid penalties.

The teams will need to be more cautious during pit stops, which could lead to slower pit times if not executed perfectly. While safety benefits everyone, teams with less efficient pit crews might struggle with this added pressure.

7. Increased Steward Presence at Select Races

This rule essentially means that the FIA has decided to appoint four stewards instead of their usual three at certain races. There are six specific races where this will be implemented--Australia, China, Canada, SIngapore, Mexico, and Brazil. These races are chosen due to their complexity or likelihood of incidents.

This decision to expand steward panels is intended to improve the efficiency and fairness of decision-making during races, especially those which are considered "high workload". With more stewards, there can be a broader range of perspectives and potentially quicker resolutions to incidents, which is crucial in high-pressure situations.

There have been calls for professionalization of stewarding in Formula 1, with some advocating for a full-time roster to ensure consistency. However, the FIA emphasised the importance of proper training and investment over simply increasing the number of stewards. They aim to reduce controversies and delays with this rule change.

There have been multiple instances of inconsistencies in stewarding decisions. 2017 United States Grand Prix is an example, wherein Verstappen was penalised for passing Kimi Räikkönen off-track, while other drivers were not penalised for similar infractions during the same week. In the 2021 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Verstappen was penalised for forcing Lewis Hamilton wide, despite similar incidents previously resulting in penalties for other drivers. Ferrari protested against Red Bull drivers crossing the white line at pit exit in the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix, but the stewards dismissed the protest. Fernando Alonso was penalised for defensive driving in the 2024 Australian Grand Prix, while similar actions by other drivers in different races have not always been penalised. Sergio Perez also highlighted inconsistencies in penalties for blocking and impeding in the 2024 Australian Grand Prix. He received a grid penalty for impeding Nico Hulkenberg, while other similar incidents went unpunished. Lando Norris also felt that Max Verstappen was not penalised for actions that would have resulted in penalties for other drivers. 2022 Japanese Grand Prix, where Verstappen was not penalised for swerving into Norris' path, forcing him to take evasive action. In the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, Norris believed that Verstappen should have received harsher penalties for blocking incidents during qualifying instead of just reprimands.

These inconsistencies impact the overall race severely. It gives some drivers unfair advantages. It can lead to frustrations among drivers and teams, affecting their morale and strategic decisions during races. The drivers also lose trust in the stewarding system, which can lead to increased tension and conflict between the drivers and the FIA. Inconsistent stewarding can influence championship standings, and can erode fan confidence in the sport's fairness.

However, with this new rule change, quicker and more consistent decision-making can be expected, and smooth operations of races with fewer delays can be experienced.

The 2025 Formula One rule changes mark a pivotal shift in the sport, focusing on safety, strategy, fairness, and the integration of new talent. The FIA is tightening its grip on various aspects of the sport, from enhancing competition to addressing concerns about overregulation and the potential dilution of the sport's thrilling unpredictability.

With these major shake-ups, 2025 is set to be a defining season. Will these changes lead to a more competitive and exciting championship, or will they backfire, sparking more controversy? Only time and the early races will tell.