The FIA Stewards have decided that teams can use two of their four annual curfew ‘jokers’ in one weekend without penalty.
This weekend Ferrari became the first team to break the curfew twice at one Grand Prix, and rivals are not happy with what the Italian team did.
In Sporting Working Group meetings the teams have discussed such an eventuality, and while no clear cut rule is in the sporting regs, a note sent by the FIA to teams at the Australian GP said: “It is our view that Article 30.19 prohibits a team from using two of their individual exceptions (“jokers”) in any one Event.”
However the wording of the current rule led to some doubt today. It says simply “each team will be permitted four individual exceptions to the above during a Championship season.”
After investigating the matter and considering elements such as the meaning of the word “individual” the stewards have now decreed that it did not prevent teams from doing it twice, and their decision set a precedent by saying that “no further action is necessary.”
Intriguingly the penalty agreed by the SWG for a fifth curfew breakage in a season is to have both of a team’s cars start from the pitlane.
Although if it happens the stewards have discretion, they have the power to impose that penalty…
Adam Cooper F1 
With only 2 GP to go there might be some kind of contradiction to penalise a team that cannot use their 4 exceptions if only one per GP is permitted anyway…. Don’t you think so ?
Ferrari International Assistance at work.
Again.
There must be an appendix (F)errari somewhere in the FIA sporting code…
“Although if it happens the stewards have discretion, they have the power to impose that penalty…”
…or any other penalty they feel is appropriate, like paying 10.000$ or being disqualified from the race?
An excellent example of somebody reading the rules and doing what they say, not what people think they mean.
There was – at that stage – no mention of a limit per meeting in the rules, so Ferrari were quite within their rights to do it.