Teams to Have Judges Inside ICA

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has made yet another step into meeting the Formula One teams halfway. In an effort to secure the transparency of the judging process within the International Court of Appeal (ICA), the teams will be able to name "judges" of their own for the meetings of the ICA for appeal hearing regarding the F1 championship.

Referred to by the ICA as “co-opted judges”, the teams' preferred officials will have the right to vote, but the “elected ICA Judges will form a majority of any panel.”

“On every panel all judges will work together and perform all of the same functions, having the same status and being bound by the same rules,” said the statement from the FIA on Wednesday.

“From the start of the 2010 Formula One season, in agreement with the FIA and the teams, it has been decided to ‘co-opt’ judges proposed by F1 teams to rule upon hearings relating to F1. The ICA has taken this step to add to the existing reserve of knowledge and expertise, to allow for broader participation in the workings of the ICA, and to further enhance transparency and public confidence in the workings of the ICA.”

“All elected ICA judges are bound by formal undertakings to remain absolutely independent and impartial (from teams, from National Sporting Authorities, from the FIA itself, and from any other party). The new ‘co-opted’ judges will adhere to identical standards of independence and impartiality,” added the statement from the Paris' body.

This is the second change to the F1 rule book operated by the FIA in recent days, following the restructuring of the stewarding system starting 2010 (which will include retired F1 drivers).