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zak brown critical on the formula 1 stewarding system in place

Brown critical of the FIA stewarding system: 'F1 not set up for success'

12 July at 09:05
Last update 12 July at 09:05
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  • Olly Darcy
  • Editor

The Formula 1 stewarding system has come under scrutiny in the last few weeks. Team principals and drivers themselves have been involved in meetings looking to change the way races are managed after the fallout of the Austrian Grand Prix, with issues arising at other Grands Prix in the past as a result of the part-time and interchanging nature of stewarding. McLaren team boss Zak Brown believes the current structure undermines the sport of F1.

The Austrian Grand Prix became the latest Grand Prix to have its stewarding come under scrutiny after the battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. Norris was given a five-second penalty for track limited after multiple warnings, but many believed that his final strike was harsh after he gave the position back to Verstappen after gaining an advantage off the track. Part-time stewards have not given penalties in the past for those incidents, but they did at the Red Bull Ring, and team bosses and drivers want to improve the consistency in that aspect of F1.

Brown says everyone "welcomes" a change in stewarding

Speaking to several media outlets including GPblog at the British Grand Prix, Brown said that there have been "very healthy conversations" with the FIA regarding the potential change of how races are stewarded in the future: "I think the FIA recognise part-time, underfunded stewarding is not how you govern a full-time, very intense, very technical, very big racing series. So the conversation's been very healthy.

"I don't think we're set up for success with the current system," continued the American. "I think it's important. It's not a reflection on the individuals that are stewarding, but to just show up and do this part-time as a favour isn't what we need, and I think there'll be changes to address it, to raise the professionalism and the investment in stewarding, which I think everybody universally welcomes."

Brown continued on by saying that the drivers need to have the greatest input in what changes, if any, are to be made: "I think the drivers know best, and I know they had a long meeting yesterday, I think the drivers need to have greater input to what they think the driving standard rules should be. At the end of the day, they're the ones driving. So if they can all get aligned and agree on what that is, then that seems like a great basis from which to start from, and then the stewards need to consistently govern against whatever they all agree to."