Rules & Regulations

Chapter 7: Race Weekend Procedures

7.1 Lobby Opening

All drivers will be sent an invite to join the race lobby 15 minutes prior to the official race start time. It is important that drivers join in a timely manner to ensure proper team selection and that the event starts on time. Drivers who are running late must communicate with Race Control — it is up to the lobby host’s discretion on whether or not to wait for a late driver. If a driver is running late and misses the lobby start, they are allowed to join during qualification. If a driver fails to join before the qualifying session commences, they are not allowed to race in that event.

7.2 Qualifying

Qualifying shall consist of one Short Qualifying session unless otherwise specified by Race Control.

Pole Position shall be awarded to the driver who records the fastest valid lap during the official qualifying session and shall receive one (1) Drivers’ Championship point.

7.3 Qualifying Interference

Drivers must maintain safe and predictable behavior throughout qualifying. Cars that are not on a flying lap must make every effort not to interfere with vehicles that are.

The following shall be considered qualifying interference:

• Obstruction — failing to get out of the way of a driver who is on a flying lap.
• Dirty air or visual distraction — remaining ahead of a driver through a sequence of corners while that driver is on a flying lap.
• Loss of control — losing the car in a manner that impairs another driver’s vision or requires them to take evasive action.
• Causing a collision — contact arising from interference with a driver on a flying lap.

If a driver is being obstructed, they must still make every reasonable effort to avoid causing a crash. Failure to do so may result in a penalty of their own.

If a driver does not have sufficient time to leave the pit lane and complete a flying lap before the session expires, they shall remain in the pits. The game assumes control of the car when the session timer reaches zero. A driver whose AI then causes qualifying interference may be deemed responsible.

Impeding another driver without contact shall result in a Warning. Impeding another driver with contact shall be determined by the Stewards. Deliberate or repeated interference may attract a more severe penalty at the discretion of the Stewards.

7.4 Safety Car

The Safety Car shall be enabled for all official RMF1 championship events. Upon deployment of the Safety Car, all drivers shall immediately reduce their pace and comply with all in-game Safety Car procedures.

Drivers must maintain a safe distance to the car ahead and avoid unnecessary acceleration, braking, or weaving that may endanger other competitors. Overtaking under Safety Car conditions is prohibited unless:

• Directed by the game.
• A competitor ahead has retired or sustained terminal damage.
• Exceptional circumstances exist as determined by Race Control.

Any incident occurring while the Safety Car is deployed shall be subject to enhanced scrutiny by the Stewards due to the expectation of reduced racing speeds and increased driver awareness.

7.5 Safety Car Restart

Once the Safety Car period has concluded, the race leader shall control the pace of the field until the green flag conditions are established by the game. Drivers must remain alert and maintain a safe distance to the car ahead while preparing for the restart. Overtaking prior to the official restart is prohibited unless permitted by the game or directed by Race Control.

• Any attempt to gain an unfair advantage through erratic acceleration, brake testing, or other unsportsmanlike conduct during the restart procedure may result in steward investigation and disciplinary action.

7.6 Disconnects

Should a driver disconnect from an official championship event, the race shall continue unless Race Control determines that exceptional circumstances warrant alternative action.

Drivers who disconnect during the race may rejoin if the game allows. Any laps or positions lost as a result of the disconnection shall not be restored unless otherwise determined by Race Control under exceptional circumstances. Repeated disconnections determined to be intentional or avoidable may result in disciplinary action.

7.7 Restarts

Race Control reserves the right to restart, postpone, or abandon an official championship event in the event of widespread technical issues, server instability, game-breaking bugs, or other exceptional circumstances that materially compromise the competitive integrity of the event.

Should a restart be declared, Race Control shall communicate the applicable restart procedure, including the race distance, grid order, and any additional instructions deemed necessary.

• Individual driver incidents, isolated disconnections, or ordinary racing incidents shall not normally constitute grounds for a race restart.
• All restart decisions made by Race Control are final.

7.8 Race Classification

Drivers shall be classified according to the official race results recorded by the game, unless amended by post-race steward decisions.

Any post-race time penalties, disqualifications, or other sporting penalties imposed by the Stewards shall be reflected in the official race classification and championship standings. In-game track-limits time penalties, and a ten-second time penalty issued by the game and served during the event, may be appealed after the race in accordance with Chapter 9.6. Where such an appeal is upheld, Race Control may amend the official classification to restore the time. Race Control shall publish the official race results following the conclusion of all steward investigations. These published results shall constitute the final classification for championship purposes.

Chapter 8: Racing Code

8.1 General Driving Standards

All drivers are expected to compete in a fair, respectful, and sportsmanlike manner at all times. Drivers must make every reasonable effort to avoid avoidable contact, maintain control of their vehicle, and respect the rights of fellow competitors. The responsibility to avoid contact rests with all drivers. A driver may not rely solely upon another competitor to prevent an incident.

• Any action deemed careless, reckless, dangerous, or intentionally unsporting may result in disciplinary action.

8.2 Overtaking

The responsibility for completing an overtake safely rests primarily with the overtaking driver. An overtaking maneuver shall only be attempted when a realistic opportunity exists to complete the pass without avoidable contact. Drivers shall not initiate overtaking attempts from an unreasonable distance or rely upon another competitor to avoid a collision.

• Any overtake completed by forcing another driver beyond the limits of the circuit or through avoidable contact may be subject to penalty.

8.3 Defensive Driving

A driver may make one defensive move to protect their position on a straight. Following the initial defensive move, the defending driver may return to the racing line, provided such movement is completed safely, leaves adequate space for the approaching competitor, and occurs before the braking zone.

• Drivers shall not make multiple defensive changes of direction in reaction to a following competitor, nor shall they weave, brake erratically, or otherwise drive in a manner that creates unnecessary danger.
• A defending driver who has returned to the racing line shall not make any subsequent movement intended to impede or block the approaching competitor.

8.4 Corner Rights

Corner rights shall be determined by the relative positioning of both vehicles at corner entry. A driver claiming racing room must have established a significant and sustainable overlap prior to the turn-in point. Drivers shall leave sufficient racing room where another competitor has legitimately earned the right to space.

A driver shall not obtain corner rights by making an unrealistic or uncontrolled overtaking attempt. Late-braking maneuvers, divebombs, locking, or throwing a car into the corner solely to create overlap leading up to, at, or after the turn-in point shall not, by themselves, establish the right to racing room.

When determining corner rights, the Stewards shall consider whether the overtaking driver could have reasonably remained within the confines of the circuit, maintained control of the vehicle, and completed the corner without requiring the other driver to take evasive action.

Simply placing a car alongside at the point of contact does not automatically establish corner rights.

8.5 Rejoining the Circuit

Drivers leaving the racing surface for any reason remain solely responsible for rejoining the circuit safely. A driver rejoining the circuit must not obstruct, impede, or endanger approaching competitors.

• Where necessary, a driver must yield to oncoming traffic until a safe rejoin can be completed.

8.6 Backmarkers & Blue Flags

As soon as a driver is caught by another who is about to lap them, they must allow the faster driver through at the earliest opportunity. They have the remainder of the current sector and the entirety of the next sector in which to do so.

A lapped driver is not required to leave the racing line immediately, but they must not actively defend against the leading cars or unnecessarily delay them.

Any driver deemed to have attempted to deliberately block or hinder the faster car shall be severely penalized at the discretion of the Stewards and Race Control.

Lapped cars may unlap themselves if their pace allows them to create a gap in a reasonable amount of time.

8.7 Unsportsmanlike Conduct

RMF1 maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward unsportsmanlike conduct. The following behaviors may constitute Unsportsmanlike Conduct, including but not limited to:

• Intentional collisions
• Brake checking
• Retaliation
• Deliberate obstruction
• Intentionally causing Safety Cars
• Deliberately manipulating championship outcomes
• Abusive, threatening, or discriminatory behavior
• Any action deemed prejudicial to the reputation or integrity of RMF1

Race Control reserves the right to impose penalties beyond the standard penalty guidelines where conduct is determined to have intentionally undermined the sporting integrity of the championship.

Chapter 9: Stewarding & Judicial Process

9.1 Incident Reports

Drivers wishing to contest an on-track incident must submit an Incident Report through the official RMF1 reporting system on the website. Incident Reports must be submitted within twenty-four (24) hours of pending results being posted for the applicable championship event. Reports cannot be filed before pending results are posted, or after that twenty-four hour window has closed. Each report shall clearly identify the lap, corner, and drivers involved, and must include all supporting evidence available to the reporting driver.

The named driver shall have twenty-four (24) hours from the time the Incident Report is filed to submit a defense, or to notify the Stewards that they have nothing to submit. Failure to respond within that window shall close the defense period, and the matter may proceed to Steward review without a defense on file.

• Race Control reserves the right to dismiss reports that are incomplete, frivolous, submitted outside the designated reporting window, or otherwise fail to meet reporting requirements.
• Drivers seeking review of in-game track-limits time or a served ten-second time penalty issued by the game shall file an Appeal under Chapters 9.5 and 9.6 rather than an Incident Report against another competitor.

9.2 Evidence

Drivers are responsible for providing sufficient evidence to support any submitted Incident Report. Acceptable evidence may include, but is not limited to:

• Onboard video footage
• Broadcast footage
• In-game replay footage
• Telemetry or other supporting media approved by Race Control

Failure to provide sufficient evidence may result in the dismissal of the Incident Report.

9.3 Steward Review

All Incident Reports shall be reviewed by the appointed RMF1 Stewards. Stewards shall evaluate each incident impartially and in accordance with the Sporting Regulations, Racing Code, and the overall principles of fair competition. In reaching a decision, the Stewards may consider, including but not limited to:

• Driver positioning
• Relative overlap
• Control of the vehicle
• Predictability
• Avoidance
• Track conditions
• Driver responsibility
• Any aggravating or mitigating circumstances

Steward decisions shall be based upon the totality of the circumstances rather than any single factor.

9.4 Penalties

Where a breach of the Sporting Regulations or Racing Code is established, the Stewards may impose one or more of the following penalties (see Appendix A — Penalty Guidelines):

• Warning
• Time Penalty
• Post-Race Time Penalty
• Sporting Regulation Infraction
• Qualifying Ban
• Drivers’ Championship Point Deduction
• Constructors’ Championship Point Deduction
• Race Disqualification
• Suspension
• Any other penalty deemed appropriate by Race Control

The severity of any penalty shall be proportionate to the nature and circumstances of the offense. The consequences suffered by another driver do not lengthen a time penalty; they are reflected in additional License Points under Chapter 3.4. Not every on-track incident warrants the application of a sporting penalty. Stewards may determine that an incident constitutes a Racing Incident where no driver bears predominant responsibility.

9.5 Appeals

Drivers and Team Principals may submit a formal Appeal through the official RMF1 reporting system. The Appeal ticket is the sole in-house channel for:

• A Steward decision on an Incident Report.
• An in-game track-limits time penalty recorded on the official result (Chapter 9.6).
• A ten-second time penalty issued by the game and served during the event (Chapter 9.6).

Appeals of a Steward decision shall only be considered where significant new evidence becomes available, a material error in the application of the regulations is alleged, or Race Control determines that exceptional circumstances exist. An Appeal shall not constitute an automatic rehearing of the original incident.

Following review, Race Control may uphold, amend, or overturn the original decision or restore time on the official classification. Only one Appeal may be filed against any given subject. All appeal decisions are final.

9.6 In-Game Penalties

A track-limits time penalty recorded by the game, or a ten-second time penalty issued by the game and served during the event — including where that ten-second penalty is attributable to an in-game bug — may be appealed after the race. This provision exists to ensure that drivers are not competitively disadvantaged by a fault of the game rather than by their own conduct.

Such an appeal shall be submitted through the official RMF1 reporting system as an Appeal ticket within twenty-four (24) hours of pending results being posted for the applicable championship event. The appellant shall identify the race and the lap on which the penalty was issued, and shall provide evidence in support of the review.

Where Race Control is satisfied that the penalty was issued in error by the game, the official classification may be amended to restore the time. Penalties that are correctly issued for a genuine sporting infringement remain in force. Ten-second time penalties imposed by the Stewards under Appendix A are appealed as a Steward decision under Chapter 9.5, not under this article.

Appendix A — Penalty Guidelines

Each time penalty above is graded on the driving alone. What the offense cost the other driver — race time, track position, or a grid position — does not lengthen the penalty; it is carried by additional License Points under Chapter 3.4.

Some incidents and rule breaches will result in standardised penalties:

In-game track-limits time and a served ten-second penalty issued by the game — including a game bug — may be appealed after the race under Chapter 9.6 on the Appeal ticket. Steward-imposed ten-second time penalties under this appendix are appealed as a Steward decision under Chapter 9.5.