Gunther Steiner attacks FIA: “It’s not fair that the stewards aren’t professionals”. Gunther Steiner attacks the FIA over the inconsistency of decisions.

The controversy over the inconsistency of FIA decisions
The recent controversies over the inconsistency of FIA race stewards’ decisions (reignited by the controversial judgment on the contact between Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen at the start of the Abu Dhabi GP) could lead to a historic turning point. Even the president of the Federation, the controversial and criticized Emirati Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has opened up to the possibility of having a team of professional stewards – who would be properly paid for their work – and who would remain stable throughout the entire season. Mohammed Ben Sulayem didn’t hide the problem, focusing on the economic aspect and noting the need to find funds to pay commissioners who do this job full-time. This issue has also been addressed by the former team principal of Haas, Gunther Steiner.

The South Tyrolean manager, who has become a celebrity even among non-Formula 1 fans thanks to his famous outbursts shown on the Netflix docuseries *Drive To Survive*, has previously criticized the FIA stewards for some decisions against “his” Haas team. Interviewed by the daily *Ouest France*, Gunther Steiner reiterated the urgency of finding a permanent solution to the lack of consistency in race steward evaluations.

Gunther Steiner attacks the FIA
“I would really like the stewards – said Steiner regarding the FIA race judges – to be hired as permanent staff, so that there could be more consistency in the penalties given to drivers. Formula 1 is one of the most important sports in the world, so I don’t think it’s fair that there aren’t people who work full-time on this aspect. In football, referees do that job and are paid for it. Those who take responsibility should be compensated.”

In reality, the comparison with football isn’t always spot on. While in the English Premier League, for example, referees are professionals, the situation is different in Serie A, where referees are paid for their work but often have other jobs during the week. The difference with F1 is clear and evident: currently, FIA stewards only receive a daily expense reimbursement, and the composition of the panel changes from GP to GP.