Who is responsible for sanctioning IndyCar? All you need to know

The IndyCar governing body has found itself in the spotlight recently, largely not due to a making of its own, but because of recent events involving the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), which serves as the regulatory body for most racing series.

Ahead of the commencement of the 2025 racing season, the FIA announced it would impose a fine on drivers in any instance where they use swear words during their interactions with the media.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, ahead of the start of the current season, had detailed that drivers could be fined, suspended, or lose championship points for swearing at press conferences.

The FIA chief appears to have upheld this rather controversial sanction, as Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux was fined €10,000 and given a subsequently suspended €20,000 fine for swearing in a post-stage interview during the 2025 World Rally Championship (WRC) event in Sweden.

This action by the FIA, which several drivers have deemed unacceptable, has since spiraled into a rather drastic situation. Ahead of the Safari Rally of Kenya, drivers have refused to speak to the media, and those who have opted to do so have chosen to speak in their native languages. This stance by the drivers has now raised questions about IndyCar racing and how its sanctioning body compares to the FIA.

IndyCar sanctioning body explained

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - Source: Getty

Although IndyCar resonates with many fans beyond its American roots, it remains one of the few high-profile racing series not under the FIA umbrella.

The American open-wheel racing series is currently sanctioned by IndyCar LLC, an organization that is a subsidiary of Penske Entertainment Corporation.

While its sanctioning body is not the same as the FIA, Indy LLC bears some resemblance to it in certain aspects, as it performs functions such as regulating racing competitions, sanctioning race venues, enforcing safety standards, licensing drivers and teams, officiating and stewarding Grand Prix events, and overseeing technical regulations, including car specifications.

The American series regulatory history is deeply rooted in the annals of the sport. Before the Penske Group's takeover of the series' governance, several organizations, including the United States Auto Club (USAC) and Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), were responsible for regulating the series until the formation of the Indy Racing League (IRL) in 1994.

However, in 2008, IRL and CART merged under the IndyCar umbrella, which is now controlled by Penske Corporation, owned by Roger Penske. The Penske Corporation is also responsible for managing and overseeing the iconic Indy 500 race. The governing body further extends its sanctioning and regulatory control to Indy NXT, which serves as a feeder series for the senior category.