Section 4: Players & Officials
4.1 Competitors (Constructors) — Sporting Regulations, Article 8
A "Competitor" in Formula 1 is the Constructor: the organisation that designs and builds the car. To compete in the World Championship, a Constructor must:
- Hold a valid FIA Competitors Licence (Super Licence category — Competitor)
- Be a signatory to the Concorde Agreement (the commercial agreement between the FIA, Formula One Group, and participating teams)
- Register with the FIA no later than the deadline specified for the season (Article 8.2)
- Enter a minimum of one and a maximum of two cars per event (Article 8.3)
The maximum number of Constructors permitted to compete in the World Championship at any one time is set by the FIA and has been capped at ten Constructor entries (twenty cars) for recent seasons.
4.2 Drivers — Sporting Regulations, Article 6 and Appendix L (FIA Super Licence)
All drivers competing in a World Championship event must hold a valid FIA Super Licence, the highest class of racing licence issued by the FIA. To be eligible for a Super Licence, a driver must:
- Hold a valid national driving licence
- Be at least 18 years of age (Article 6.2 of the Super Licence regulations)
- Have accumulated a minimum of 40 Super Licence points over three consecutive seasons in eligible lower formulae (per the FIA Super Licence points eligibility table, updated annually)
- Have completed a minimum of 300 km in a current or recent-specification Formula 1 car during an official FIA test session or Friday practice session
- Be deemed medically fit to compete by the FIA Medical Delegate
Each Constructor may enter no more than two drivers per event under their registered entry. A driver substitution is permitted with FIA approval (Article 9.1). A driver competing under a different Competitor entry requires written FIA consent and cannot score Constructors' Championship points for the new Competitor if the substitution occurs during the season without compliance with Article 9.2 deadlines.
4.3 Team Personnel
All team personnel present in the pit lane, garages, or on the grid during sessions must hold appropriate FIA or ASN accreditation. The Sporting Regulations define categories of permitted personnel:
- Team Manager: the designated representative of the Competitor who communicates with the Clerk of the Course and is responsible for team compliance
- Chief Mechanic and mechanics: responsible for car preparation and pit stop execution
- Engineers: may communicate with the driver via radio (subject to Article 27.1 restrictions on driver coaching)
4.4 Race Director — Sporting Regulations, Article 11
The Race Director is appointed by the FIA and is responsible for the overall supervision of the event. The Race Director's duties include:
- Issuing Event Notes to all Competitors before each event, detailing specific circuit procedures, track limit enforcement corners, and Safety Car delta times
- Controlling the deployment and withdrawal of the Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car
- Deciding whether conditions are suitable to start a session, suspend a session, or permit the race to run in Wet Race conditions
- Authorising overtaking under Safety Car conditions
From 2022, the FIA introduced a dedicated Race Management structure with a separate "Head of Race Management" coordinating Race Directors across the season, following governance changes implemented after the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
4.5 Stewards — Sporting Regulations, Article 10
A panel of three Stewards (including, since 2010, a Driver Steward who is a former F1 driver) is appointed for each event by the relevant ASN and the FIA. Stewards have the authority to:
- Investigate any incident, infringement, or matter referred to them by the Race Director or Clerk of the Course
- Impose penalties including time additions, grid penalties, drive-through penalties, and disqualification
- Accept or reject protests lodged by Competitors
Steward decisions are issued as numbered Decisions (e.g., "Stewards' Decision No. 7") and are published on the FIA official communications system. Competitors may request a review of a Steward decision by providing new and significant evidence not available at the time of the original decision (Article 10.1.1).
4.6 FIA Technical Delegate and Scrutineers
The FIA Technical Delegate oversees technical compliance throughout the event. FIA Scrutineers conduct pre-event, post-qualifying, and post-race inspections of cars. All cars must pass scrutineering before they are permitted to participate in any session. The Technical Delegate may request a car be presented for additional inspection at any time during the event weekend (Technical Regulations, Article 2.5).