The Formula 2 regulations have been formally amended for the 2020 championship in the wake of Mahaveer Raghunathan escaping a suspension in Abu Dhabi.
Raghunathan twice reached the limit of 12 penalty points in 2019 but the wording of the regulations meant he was still able to take part in certain track activity.
In France he picked up 12 penalty points after the Feature Race and was banned from the following event in Austria.
Upon returning in Britain his record was wiped clean, as per the regulations, but he reached 12 points again following a transgression during practice in Abu Dhabi.
However due to Abu Dhabi being the final event of the campaign, and there being no following event, Raghunathan was able to take part in qualifying and the two races.
The FIA confirmed plans to tweak the regulations in response and these have now been ratified.
An updated version of Article 38.3 of the Formula 2 Sporting Regulations reads: “If a driver accrues 12 penalty points during a free practice or qualifying, he will be suspended for the remainder of the Event.
“If a driver accrues 12 penalty points in a race, he will be suspended for the following Event.
“After the suspension has been issued, 12 points will be removed.”
The updated phraseology has also been implemented into the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
