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The FIA will take a stricter approach to Formula E’s sporting regulations in the Gen4 era, targeting cooperation between teams that could influence the outcome of races.
Manufacturers have considerable influence over their customer teams, with some commercial arrangements extending well beyond powertrain supply. That relationship came under scrutiny at last weekend’s London finale, where Cupra Kiro driver Dan Ticktum admitted to slowing in qualifying to help factory Porsche driver Pascal Wehrlein reach the final duel. The controversy formed part of a tense title decider, as explored in our report on the paddock reaction to Wehrlein’s dramatic Formula E championship victory.
The FIA had already been preparing a response before the London races. The General Provisions for the 2026-27 season, published in June, include a clause stating that any concerted instruction or agreement between competitors entered under the same manufacturer that interferes with race action or is intended to influence a race result is prohibited.
Competitors, manufacturers and drivers involved may face disciplinary measures or sporting penalties under the applicable FIA regulations.
The new approach will not outlaw every form of team order. A team may still instruct its own drivers to work towards a shared result, provided the tactics remain fair on track and comply with the regulations.
The dividing line is coordination between separate teams. FIA Formula E chief Pablo Martino said instructions between “team A and team B” would be forbidden, including arrangements involving works teams, independent customer teams or multiple teams linked through a manufacturer.
“It's not that we are forbidding team orders,” Martino told Motorsport.com. “If, inside a team, two drivers want to play on behalf of the team ... it's a team decision and it's something that we don't interfere with at all.”
However, the FIA wants to prevent commercial relationships from becoming a mechanism for manipulating competition. Martino said agreements between manufacturers and multiple teams could otherwise be used to influence races in their favour.
Martino stressed that the FIA is not creating an entirely new rule. Instead, it will enforce Appendix M of the International Sporting Code more rigorously. That provision prohibits arrangements, acts or intentional omissions designed to remove the unpredictable nature of competition and secure an undue advantage.
Policing such conduct will not rely solely on what happens on track. The FIA can review radio communications, including direct transcriptions between drivers and teams, while on-track behaviour will provide further evidence when assessing whether competition was manipulated.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.