F1 News: McLaren CEO Details FIA Stewarding Issues - 'Not Set Up For Success'

McLaren CEO Zak Brown critiques stewarding issues in Formula 1, calling for reforms to address inconsistency and lack of professionalism.

Nov 16, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; McLaren F1 Team team boss Zak Brown arrives before free practice at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Formula 1 and the FIA are facing critical scrutiny over its stewarding protocols—a system recently highlighted for its inconsistencies during contentious moments like the Austrian Grand Prix. The part-time and interchangeable nature of race stewarding has raised significant concerns among teams and drivers, with varied decisions sometimes marring the sport's clarity and fairness.

At the center of the recent controversy is an incident at the Austrian Grand Prix where an intense battle between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris resulted in a five-second penalty for the latter. The McLaren driver was penalized for exceeding track limits after several warnings, albeit returning the position to Verstappen—a move that typically mitigates punitive actions. This decision, seen as harsh by many, sheds light on the perceived inconsistency stemming from the current part-time stewarding setup. In previous similar scenarios, penalties have not always been consistently applied.

Zak Brown, CEO of the McLaren F1 Team, voiced his concerns about Formula 1’s stewarding structure. Whilst speaking to the media during the British Grand Prix weekend, Brown commented, as quoted by GP Blog:

"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."

His discontent with the existing framework is palpable. He continued:

"I don't think we're set up for success with the current system. 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."

Furthermore, Zak Brown has championed a greater role for drivers in the decision-making processes concerning driving standards and rules. Given their direct engagement and experience on the track, drivers' insights into fair play and safety are invaluable. Brown concluded:

"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."