The FIA and Formula 1 teams will discuss increasing the cost of deposits paid when appealing in-race decisions, after two failed Red Bull protests against Mercedes this year.
A meeting of the F1 Commission in London on Tuesday chaired by CEO Stefano Domenicali and the FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis, saw the issue put on its agenda.
The discussion comes after a series of protests made by Red Bull against Mercedes this season, which has sparked debate about the fee of €2,000 [£1,700] being too modest.
Red Bull first challenged the the retention of George Russell’s third place in the Miami Grand Prix, reasoning he had not sufficiently slowed under yellow flags during the race.
Then the Milton Keynes-based squad protested Russell’s victory in Canada, citing erratic driving on his part in-front of Max Verstappen during a late Safety Car period.
The sport’s governing body wrote on its website: “It was agreed that the deposit fees for protests, appeals and right of reviews should be evaluated with a view to those fees being adjusted.
“The introduction of a fee for investigations was also discussed.”
The revelation of the topic being raised by the F1 Commission comes after Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed at last month’s Austrian Grand Prix that the FIA’s president. Mohammed Ben Sulayem, was looking to raise the protest fee.
“It’s a lot of money,” he said, “and in Formula 1 we need to be careful that we are still being perceived as not over the top in relation to the normal world,
“But in that instance, absolutely put in a fine, and I think the President of the FIA is working on that.
“Put in a fine that, at least if you lose it, is a little bit of an embarrassment that you lost so much money, and you’re going to think twice whether you do it. I think this is along the lines the FIA are thinking.”
Wolff vented his frustration at Red Bull’s decision to protest Russell’s Canadian victory so late, saying: “Everybody misses planes going home, and we end up with a result that was a little bit predictable.
“That’s something that I thought was not necessary.”
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