Unpaid, inconsistent F1 stewards ‘not fair’ – Steiner

Gunther Steiner expresses his frustration with the stewarding situation in Formula 1 as his main complaint about the sport currently.

The inconsistency in stewards’ decisions, especially regarding penalties, was a major talking point in 2024 and even drew criticism from the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association.

Former Haas team boss Steiner fully agrees with this sentiment.

When asked by Ouest-France newspaper what he would change about F1 today, Steiner suggested that he would prefer the stewards to be permanent employees to ensure consistency in penalty judgments.

“Formula 1 is a major global sport,” Steiner explained, “and I believe it is unfair that stewards are not full-time employees. Football referees are full-time professionals and are compensated accordingly.”

He stressed the importance of rewarding responsibility in this context.

On the other hand, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem pointed out that the federation does not have the necessary funds to train, develop, and employ permanent race stewards.

“While there is an interest in having professional stewards,” he acknowledged, “budget constraints prevent us from implementing this at the moment.”

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