By Ben Morse, CNN

(CNN) — The FIA, motorsport’s world governing body, announced on Wednesday a major dialing back of the penalties issued to drivers for cursing after a groundswell of opposition towards the new regulations.

In rules introduced by the FIA ahead of the season, F1 drivers could be penalized – with monetary fines or loss of championship points – for cursing in press conferences.

Fines started at €40,000 ($41,600) for a driver’s first offense, with it doubling for a second breach of the rules as well as a suspended one-month ban. A third offense would potentially bring about a €120,000 ($125,000) fine, a one-month ban and the loss of championship points.

But the FIA scaled back those regulations on Wednesday after continued complaints from high-level F1 drivers.

Following the amendment of Appendix B in FIA International Sporting Code, the base maximum penalties for drivers will be reduced generally from €10,000 ($11,210) to €5,000 ($5,600) – a reduction of 50% – although “for FIA World Championships, where multipliers were involved, the reductions will be even more significant,” the governing body said.

The FIA also said that stewards can suspend a penalty in certain cases if it’s a first offense by a driver or team. Stewards will also be permitted to adjudge whether language was used in “controlled” or “uncontrolled” environments to assess whether a penalty is deemed necessary – a “controlled” environment is defined as a press conferences and an “uncontrolled” environment is a “spontaneous comments made by drivers or teams when on track or during a rally stage.”

The new guidelines also state that “abuse of officials will now result in sporting penalties rather than fines, aligning motor sport with other major global sports organizations.”

“As a former rally driver, I know firsthand the range of emotions that are faced during competition. I have led an extensive and collaborative review with contributions from across the seven FIA World Championships, FIA Member Clubs and other motor sports organizations,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said.

“The improvements the FIA has announced today to Appendix B will ensure we continue to promote the best of sportsmanship in motor sport, while also giving Stewards effective guidelines to act against individuals who may bring the sport into disrepute. The FIA will always be committed to ensuring motor sport is accessible for all our sporting family.”

The original penalties implemented before this season were criticized by many F1 drivers who thought they were excessive. Drivers, including reigning world champion Max Verstappen, also complained about the lack of dialogue between them and the FIA around addressing any issues.

Ronan Morgan, president of the drivers’ committee, said that the changing of the rules around cursing “further strengthen the FIA’s International Sporting Code supporting our drivers by understanding the pressures they face during the heat of competition.”

“Drivers are looked up to as role models by young fans and are rightly seen as ambassadors for the wider world of motor sport, how they act really does matter but it is important to recognize that there is a difference between what is said during a race and in a press conference,” Morgan said.

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Beginning with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Motor Speedway on May 25, five NASCAR Cup Series races will be shown exclusively on a streaming service for the first time in NASCAR history. 

Prime Video will broadcast the Coca-Cola 600, Nashville, Michigan, Mexico City and Pocono in a stretch of races from May 25 to June 22. 

Joining lap-by-lap announcer Adam Alexander and former crew chief Steve Letarte in the broadcast booth for Prime Video’s coverage will be NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., who returns to the booth after a one-year absence. 

Earnhardt Jr. was a color commentator for NBC from 2018-23, and joins both Prime Video and Turner Sports for a total of 10 races this season. 

As fans prepare to switch over to Prime Video to watch Cup Series racing, Earnhardt Jr. expects the transition to be a relatively easy one. 

“I don’t know that it’s going to be that big of a transition (for fans),” Earnhardt Jr. said in a virtual news conference on Wednesday. “It’ll probably happen pretty seamlessly and quick.” 

In 2022, Prime Video became the exclusive home of “Thursday Night Football.” Earnhardt Jr. says the “TNF” broadcasts are a good representation of what fans can expect from the streaming service’s maiden voyage of NASCAR coverage. 

“I would say you can look at the ‘Thursday Night Football’ coverage, and all the bells and whistles,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “That would be a good way to look at how Amazon’s race coverage might look and how it might differ somewhat.”

“At the same time, there will be a lot of things that are very traditional – a three-man booth, the faces you may see. There will be some things that will be expected, but there will be some new technology to show some data and information for our fans that are watching.”

In a similar fashion to how the CW covered the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs in anticipation of every Xfinity Series race being televised on the CW in 2025, Prime Video has given fans a similar opportunity to get familiar with the service. Aside from the Clash, Daytona 500 and the upcoming All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, Prime Video has been the carrier for Cup Series practice and qualifying through the first 12 races while using Fox Sports’ broadcast talent and production. 

Prime Video will continue to cover practice and qualifying for the Cup Series during its five-race stretch of races. 

“I’m excited about (the broadcast),” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I think all of the networks push each other to put good products out on Sunday. Amazon will bring some really cool ideas and ways of approaching the sport that will be better. I’m grateful to be a part of that team.”

All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

RFK Racing will welcome fans to its Concord, North Carolina headquarters on Friday, May 23 for its annual Fan Day celebration, just ahead of the iconic Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day Weekend. This year’s event will include autograph sessions with RFK drivers, guided shop tours, interactive partner displays, live SiriusXM coverage, and a major partnership announcement that fans won’t want to miss.

This year’s Fan Day will also feature an exciting team announcement scheduled 12:00PM in front of the team museum located at 4600 Roush Place. While details remain under wraps, fans in attendance will be among the first to hear exclusive news that will shape the future of RFK Racing.

The day’s autograph sessions begin at 9:00 a.m. ET with NASCAR Champion Brad Keselowski, followed by a 10:00 a.m. ET session featuring Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece. Both sessions will take place inside the RFK team museum and require a limited-access ticket, available on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, SiriusXM will broadcast live from Fan Day.

Renowned motorsports artist Bill Patterson will be creating a live painting on-site, beginning at 9:00 a.m. with a final reveal scheduled for around 11:00 a.m. The artwork will capture the energy and spirit of RFK Racing and will later be replicated on merchandise available in the RFK Racing Gift Shop. Proceeds from these items will benefit the Austin Hatcher Foundation, which supports children and families affected by pediatric cancer.

Also returning this year are guided tours of the RFK Campus. Fans will get to experience the full operations of RFK’s shop in a guided tour led by RFK team members. Registration for those tours is available on-site at the designated RFK tent.

RFK’s valued partners will be engaging with fans throughout the day with interactive displays and branded experiences. Participating organizations include BuildSubmarines.com, Castrol, Consumer Cellular, Fastenal, Fifth Third Bank, Ford, Esperion, and Kroger Racing, as well as Celsius, Colgate, Kraft, and Bimbo. Roush Performance, the Checkered Flag Foundation, and Driven will also be featured as part of the day’s activities.

Other Fan Day attractions include driving simulators, tire changing unit, photo opportunities with team trophies, food trucks, access to the team store, live music, and more. Plus, Lake Norman Humane will be coordinating pet adoptions.

In collaboration, Rick Ware Racing will also hold a complimentary fan event in the area adjacent to RFK’s display, that will feature various race vehicles and driver autograph sessions, including its NASCAR and NHRA Top Fuel Dragster cars.

RFK’s team store hours during Coca-Cola 600 week and weekend are as follows:

• Monday-Thursday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET
• Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET
• Saturday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. ET

For more details and updates relating to Fan Day, stay tuned to RFK’s social channels (rfkracing) in the coming days and weeks.

RFK Racing PR

Behind the scenes, work is already in full swing at all engine manufacturers for 2026, with Red Bull Powertrains and Ford no exception. Mark Rushbrook, boss of Ford Motorsport and Ford Performance, already stated that most internal goals are being met, although he emphasised that it’s impossible to hit all milestones straightaway. Rushbrook also acknowledged that the competition is difficult to gauge, although he shares Christian Horner’s view that Mercedes seems confident.

An equally significant variable for next year, as much as the competition, is the future of Max Verstappen. Although the Dutchman has a contract with Red Bull that runs until the end of 2028, his future remains a major talking point. The four-time world champion has been linked to Mercedes on many occasions – with Toto Wolff admitting in Zandvoort that talks were held until last year’s summer break – and Verstappen has also been linked to Aston Martin, where Adrian Newey is designing the 2026 car and Honda will join as engine supplier.

Verstappen is an important figurehead for Red Bull, and therefore Ford, but Rushbrook makes it clear that Ford’s commitment to the project is not dependent on one individual.

“Everywhere we race we want to have the best team with the best drivers and the best people. But did we sign the deal for any one person in particular? No, because we know that it’s a long-term deal and that those people are going to change. We knew that about Christian Horner, about Adrian Newey, about the drivers and some of them have changed already before we even got on the racetrack,” Rushbrook refers to Newey and Sergio Perez.

“Do we want to see Max stay in the Red Bull-Ford for 2026 and beyond? Of course. He’s a champion. He’s a great person and he elevates the entire team with him, but are we going to run away if Max leaves the team? No. We are committed.”

Red Bull Ford Powertrains

Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool

When asked if he fears Verstappen could leave the team, Rushbrooks smiles: “You like to use the word fear, don’t you? Again, I wouldn’t call it a fear, but we want to take the right actions to make sure that the team with Red Bull Powertrains-Ford continues to win races. As I said, all the people in the programme are an important part of that. So do you take actions to keep a driver like Max in there? You’re already taking those actions anyway because you want to win, but do you also keep a pulse on the people? Of course, so I guess the answer is yes [that we’d like to keep him].”

This is naturally because Rushbrook understands how important Verstappen is for the current competitiveness of the team, in both the drivers’ and the constructors’ championship. “He’s a champion for a reason. Obviously his talent, but also that he wants every part of the team and the programme to be the best it can be.”

Is the current Red Bull form reason for concern?

The bigger picture is that Rushbrook said last year that Ford wants to work with the best teams in all championships it takes part in. At the start of last season, Red Bull was still the dominant force in F1, but this is no longer the case. Is that a concerning prospect for the Blue Oval brand?

“We know that in all forms of motorsports, but especially in Formula 1, there are dynasties of teams that just win, win, and win. But then they go through spells where they don’t, so there’s always that ebb and flow. Do we want Red Bull to still be winning races at the end of last year and this year? Of course, but we know that the team still has great people who are capable of winning consistently.”

Having said that, the 2026 regulations will be the first major technical overhaul in Red Bull’s history that has to be taken on without Adrian Newey. It is another unknown, but Rushbrook makes clear that he has full confidence in the technical team that remains in place. “The feeling is still the same. A few weeks ago, we were in Milton Keynes and met with Pierre Wache and all the technical people. We still believe in the people, in the team that is there and in their ability to win races.”