FIA enforces increased €20,000 protest fee after Red Bull, Mercedes and McLaren clashes

Teams will head into F1 2026 knowing that greater financial risks are now attached to challenging decisions and other teams, following changes made by the FIA.

Formula 1’s governing body has whacked up the deposit required from €2,000 to €20,000. This comes following calls from Mercedes’ George Russell and McLaren CEO Zak Brown for more significant fees attached to protests. Appeals and right of reviews will also be subjected to this new €20,000 deposit.

FIA imposes new €20,000 deposit

In the updated 2026 F1 regulations, the FIA has confirmed that the deposit required from a team for protesting, appealing, or petitioning for a right of review, will increase from €2,000 to €20,000, which may be refundable depending on the outcome.

For appeals, alongside the deposit, a ‘non-refundable administrative fee of €5,000 (for F1 Teams, PU Manufacturers or Drivers)’ shall also be required.

The FIA lists an ‘other individuals’ category for appeals, those not covered by ‘F1 Teams, PU Manufacturers or Drivers’. It is a deposit of €6,000 and €1,000 administrative fee for ‘other individuals’.

More on F1 2026 from PlanetF1.com

What we most want to see in F1 2026

F1 2026 cars: What name has each team given its chassis for the 2026 season?

Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Amid the talk of Red Bull allegedly suspecting McLaren tyre water trickery to cool their tyres – something which the FIA and Pirelli found no evidence of – McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown welcomed Red Bull to protest their 2025 car, the MCL39.

However, in that call, Brown suggested a £25,000 protest fee, counting against a team’s cost cap, to give a rival reason to think carefully when protesting another team.

Brown got his wish of the increased deposit fee – one close to his desired amount, with €20,000 equating to £17,000 – and it will be counted against the cost cap for each team.

George Russell meanwhile pushed for a higher fee following an unsuccessful two-part Red Bull protest after his Canadian Grand Prix victory.

“€2000 for a team who are making nine-figure profits is not going to even touch the sides, it’s not even going to be thought about twice,” said Russell.

“Potentially if that was a six-figure sum to put down, maybe they would think twice about it. And perhaps that when it’s something like a protest, you obviously get your money back if you win the protest.

“So it’s basically on your own risk. Whereas at the moment, €2000 for a Formula 1 team, it’s not even a consideration.”

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, meanwhile, told Sky F1 that Red Bull’s protest was “petty” and “embarrassing”.

With sweeping chassis and engine regulation changes coming for F1 2026, creating opportunity and the chance for innovation, the new fees – up 900 per cent – could become a major talking point.

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: How ‘overpaid’ F1 driver lost his motivation in ‘burnout’ Sauber season