The 2024 F1 season has given a lot of food for thought to the governing body of the sport — the FIA. One of the major talking points this season has been the inconsistency in the stewards’ decisions. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, has some advice for president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Speaking to Formule1.nl, the former Benetton driver suggested that the FIA should learn from the model of referring from FIFA. The Dutchman urged the governing body to hire permanent stewards who are well-trained and well-looked after.
“In football (soccer), you have FIFA referees, they get training and courses and are paid well. That should also be the case in Formula 1 of course. In this area the FIA can still learn a lot from FIFA,” he explained as quoted on X (formerly Twitter).
Q – You’re actually saying: it’s strange that in a sport where so much money is at stake and the stakes are so high, the FIA seemingly randomly puts stewards in races and says: good luck with that, guys!
Jos Verstappen: Yes! Choose a pool of permanent stewards….
1/3 https://t.co/uMoWZynEkn pic.twitter.com/hNzgcgejuB
— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) December 22, 2024
The current system of stewarding in the sport is based off the model of volunteering. While the stewards do get remunerated, Verstappen feels that the meager remuneration and ad hoc appointments don’t urge the stewards to do their job well. Hence, the 52-year-old suggests a permanent and more structured model of hiring stewards.
Permanent stewards in F1 would not be possible as per a former driver
This isn’t the first time that the idea of having a permanent pool of stewards in F1 has been considered. But Sky Sports F1 broadcaster and former driver Martin Brundle believes that this isn’t something that can be introduced in the sport owing to the current format of F1 racing.
Brundle highlighted the extensive 24-race calendar as one of the biggest reasons why it cannot be a sustainable idea to have a permanent pool of stewards. Moreover, the ever-changing dynamic of race control, including the hefty Sporting Codes and fluid Race Directors’ notes, make it impossible to train one for this kind of job.
He explained, “You’ve got the International Sporting Codes, the Drivers’ Guidelines, the Sporting Regulations, directives we don’t even get to see. Then the race director’s final instructions on the weekend, which also get updated as the weekend goes on. It’s a minefield.”
