Russell proposes 'key solution' to fix to FIA stewards controversies

18:50, 27 Nov

Updated: 19:31, 27 Nov

bySamson Ero

George Russell has urged the FIA to consider the option of having permanent stewards amid recent penalty controversies.

“We shouldn't have volunteers wielding such great power in certain roles.”

- George Russell

The Mercedes driver, who also serves as the director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association (GPDA), highlighted the need for correct guidelines before suggesting consistent stewarding, particularly from individuals with racing experience.

Russell told GPblog in Qatar: “I think the stewards have done their job, but their role isn't to make a decision based on their personal view or race knowledge; their job is to make a decision based on the guidelines. That means the guidelines need to be correct.

“If the guidelines aren't correct, the decisions won't be correct. But you can't have a guideline for every circumstance. So it comes back to this point: I think consistent stewarding from individuals who've got racing experience and who can see an incident for what it is is where we will get the most consistent penalties for a given incident,” he added.

George Russell during the Qatar Grand Prix weekend - Photo: Race Pictures

Russell: Permanent stewards the way forward

The five-time Grand Prix winner doubled down on his thoughts, stating permanent stewards would be a fitting solution to the ongoing controversies surrounding F1 rulings.

“Somebody's got to stick their hand in their pocket to pay the stewards the correct amount. It would be to have, yeah, consistent stewarding over the course of 24 races,” he stated.

“At the end of the day, it's a job. These people are working in a multi-billion-dollar sport, and we shouldn't have volunteers wielding such great power in certain roles. So, in my eyes, somebody's got to pay these people,” he concluded.

George Russell at the Las Vegas Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures

Russell on FIA stewards listening to the drivers

The 27-year-old also touched on the importance of race stewards listening to driver viewpoints on incidents, a move he believes would lead to better decisions. He referenced Oscar Piastri’s incident with Kimi Antonelli at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

“I think it's really useful for the stewards to hear it from our viewpoint. If you take the Oscar [Piastri] and Kimi [Antonelli] incident in Brazil, the intricacies of a race car, where the track may be dropping away on the inside, and the car locks up, doesn't mean he's out of control."

"It means that because of the roll stiffness of the car and the track dropping away, the front-left tyre is always going to be off the ground. That isn't written in the guidelines,” Russell explained.

“I hope we make progress. I do fear that we will end up in the same position where we make adjustments to the guidelines and then there will be a new incident next year that the guidelines don't really allow for, and we'll see another decision based on the guidelines rather than recent knowledge.”

“So, you know, I think we're kind of all in agreement. I'm not speaking on behalf of anybody here, but I think the majority of drivers do believe that permanent stewarding is the way forward. And that would be an interesting debate to have,” he concluded.

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