Father of four-time world champion Max Verstappen, Jos Verstappenhave criticized FIAs stewarding model, which reveals that stewards serve on a voluntary basis and are only compensated for their expenses. Jos believes this approach needs to change to bring a more professional standard to the sport by having permanent stewards. He suggested that Formula 1’s governing body should “learn a lot from FIFA” in this regard, where referees are well paid.
While the 2024 season saw the F1 grid as the closest ever under current ground effects, the intense competition also gave stewards a tough time dealing with incidents in a busy 24-race year. However, an alleged inconsistency in stewards’ punishment was noticed, particularly in how incidents between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen were handled in their championship battle.
Experts have linked this issue to the FIA’s steward rotation system, suggesting that appointing full-time permanent stewards would ensure consistent handling of incidents based on past precedent. Jos supports this idea but takes it a step further by calling on the governing body to learn from FIFA. In an interview with Formule1.nlwhen asked if it was unusual for a sport like Formula 1 to use the services of stewards who were paid only in expenses, he said:
“Yes – select a pool of permanent trustees and pay and value them properly.
“Now they get a small amount for being at a race and some do it because they can use the money, but I think you have to find people who are not dependent on it at all.
“In football you have FIFA referees, they receive training and courses and are well paid. The same thing must of course happen in Formula 1. In this area, the FIA can still learn a lot from FIFA.”
However, Jo’s concerns have already been raised by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who stated that the governing body could not afford full-time stewards. He told Motorsport.com:
“I say it over and over again – trustees don’t grow on trees.
“It takes time to educate them. It takes time to train them. And then you develop them, so we have a program.
“I see the point of having them like the Premier League where they (the referees) get paid. But we don’t have the money for that.
“So we also have to be very careful about the way we go. As long as they are engaged, fair and they are trained properly, then there will be trustees who come and go.”
There is one way in which the sport can have permanent stewards, and that is by paying for it. He added:
“This looks like a work between the FOM and the FIA.
“So if the FOM writes a check – which they are – to the FIA, but the scope of work says ‘part-time officials’ and F1 wants something else, then it’s different, and it comes with a new price.
“It means that F1, i.e. the team, should pay for it. So I think if that’s what we’ve bought, and we want to change it, I think we have to pay for it.”
