FIA Insider Reveals President Mohammed Ben Sulayem's Intervention To Improve Stewarding In F1

Nov 3, 2019; Austin, TX, USA; A view of the FIA Formula One flag before the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Nov 3, 2019; Austin, TX, USA; A view of the FIA Formula One flag before the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

FIA steward Vitantonio Liuzzi has revealed that president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is working on improving stewarding in Formula 1 to ensure greater consistency.

However, Liuzzi did not provide specific details on how this would be implemented. The update comes after controversies surrounding Ben Sulayem last year, where he stated that F1 would need to cover the costs of stewards if it wanted them to be full-time.

The 2024 season saw several controversies around the FIA, especially with the exit of key personnel, including the sacking of F1 race director Niels Wittich, who was said to allegedly have differences with Ben Sulayem. Steward Tim Mayer also parted ways with the FIA, hinting at potential internal conflicts within the governing body.

In addition, a popular controversy was the enforcement of rules regarding swearing, which led all F1 drivers to address an open letter to Ben Sulayem through the Grand Prix Drivers' Association.

The drivers also called for full-time stewards for consistency in the rules and asked how the fine money was being used for the betterment of the sport. The FIA president bluntly responded that it was not their concern to know such details and that they should focus on racing.

Now though, Liuzzi, who is also a former F1 driver, said that Ben Sulayem is talking to all parties concerned to improve the situation, especially with regard to consistent stewarding. He said on the Inside Line podcast:

“I cannot really say much. Obviously, there is a lot of discussion about this position. Obviously, I think that the position can be changing in the future. Maybe it will change a little bit, and I’m sure that the president is talking closely with the team because we all want things to move forward in a better way.

“I’m sure that the president is talking with F1 to find the best solution for all of us. Obviously, we prefer that it will be a position a little bit different, but whatever the decision is, it will be good for both of us. For both of us, I mean Formula 1 and FIA.”

The GPDA called for the introduction of permanent stewards, rather than the current rotational system, to ensure consistent rule enforcement throughout the season. This request followed several incidents last year, particularly two involving Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in Austin and Mexico, where different rules appeared to be applied to the same violations at both Grands Prix.

Liuzzi acknowledged that it is challenging to satisfy all parties involved in an incident, often leading to opposition against those who impose penalties. He explained that stewards view Formula 1 as an incredible competition and approach their decisions with that perspective in mind. He added:

“It’s a great group [the stewards], and we are working well together. Sometimes, you cannot make everybody happy because everybody will like to dive into an overtake and then not being penalized or whatever they have different points of view. But at the end of the day, I think every race we are looking at is an amazing competition, an amazing show, and this is good for the sport.”


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