Permanent stewards for consistent penalties
Max Verstappen is preparing for 2025 Formula 1 once again as the reigning world champion, but the past season proved to be one of the most challenging for the four-time Dutch champion, both on and off the track. As highlighted multiple times throughout the championship, his father, Jos Verstappen, reiterated this sentiment in an interview with *formule1.nl*. He focused not only on technical aspects but also on some decisions made by the stewards against his son, which he strongly disliked.
“I also discussed this with Stefano Domenicali (President and CEO of Formula 1),” he explained. “The stewards need to penalize consistently, not impose a five-second penalty one time and ten seconds the next for the same infraction. And why does Max have to do community service for saying the word ‘f******,’ while someone else just gets a fine? The stewards are lost. I think there should be stricter rules in this area. A permanent pool of stewards would help. No more former Formula 1 drivers, but people with more distance and fewer vested interests, while still understanding what the sport entails. With the same stewards every time, you’ll also get more consistent decisions. There will be greater consistency, and things will simply improve. It’s the FIA’s turn: a leap in professionalism is needed.”
Jos Verstappen believes the FIA should take inspiration from international federations in other sports, such as football:
“Choose a pool of permanent stewards, pay them well, and evaluate them thoroughly,” he continued. “Currently, they receive a small sum for attending a race, and some do it because they need the money, but I think you should look for people who don’t rely on this at all. In football, there are FIFA referees who are trained, attend courses, and are well-paid. This is also necessary in Formula 1. The FIA can still learn a lot from FIFA in this area.”
Sanctions for swearing
Jos Verstappen also referred to the incident involving his son’s use of a swear word during the press conference in Singapore, deeming the penalty inappropriate:
“The FIA obviously made a mistake,” he added. “You can’t impose a punishment every time someone says ‘f******.’ You know what I would have done if I were FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem? I would have taken all the drivers aside and said, ‘Guys, watch your language.’ But airing it all like this through the media… Talk to them directly and make it clear they should minimize certain words. Formula 1 remains an emotional sport, and we shouldn’t strip it of that emotion. This word is quite commonplace in many countries, and as long as it doesn’t offend anyone, I don’t see it as a curse word. It’s a bit childish for the FIA to make a mountain out of a molehill. They should let the sport be what it is.”
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