McLaren CEO Zak Brown has reignited calls for the FIA adopts full-time race stewards for the 2025 Formula 1 season, citing “too many inconsistencies” during the 2024 campaign. His comments come following controversial decisions that affected top drivers, including Lando Norris et Max Verstappenand have reignited the debate on sports refereeing standards.
Too Many Controversial Moments in 2024
Brown's frustration stems from incidents such as:
- United States Grand Prix : Norris received a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, which McLaren vehemently disputed.
- Mexican Grand Prix : Verstappen was penalized twice in one lap, accumulating 20 seconds of penalties.
- Qatar Grand Prix : Stewards handed out seven penalties in the race, drawing criticism from drivers like George Russell over unclear communication from race officials.
Russell emphasized that the new Race Director, Rui Marqueshad not indicated a strengthening of the rules before Qatar, highlighting a lack of predictability in the application of penalties.
Brown's call for reform
Speaking on Channel 4, Brown was frank in his criticism:
“I think we need to take a step back this winter. We have too many penalties, we have too many inconsistencies. I think we all recognize that we need full-time supervision. I don't blame the commissioners, but I don't think they are set up for success. »
Brown added that the current system overburdens part-time commissioners, leaving room for subjective decisions and inconsistency.
Challenges of full-time supervision
The president of the FIA Mohammed Ben Sulayem has previously expressed reluctance to implement full-time commissioners, citing budgetary constraints. Currently, commissioners are only reimbursed for their costs, making the prospect of a dedicated team financially difficult.
However, Brown's comments align with those of Russell, who argued in October:
“When it comes to interpretation, the same commissioners week after week would provide better consistency because they interpret things the same way. »
Course « Over-ruled »
Brown also criticized the over-regulation of racing, suggesting F1 needs to take a more discretionary approach:
“We over-tuned, like, everything—so now it's literally a race to the apex. We need some common sense in applying these penalties. »
The Road to Follow
While the FIA remains hesitant, the growing cry for reform from key figures like Brown and Russell adds pressure to address the situation ahead of the 2025 season. As the stakes in F1 become higher, consistent and transparent refereeing will remain a burning question for teams, drivers and fans.
It remains to be seen whether the FIA can reconcile the demand for better management with financial limitations. What is clear, however, is that the calls for change are growing louder, and the integrity of the sport could depend on how they respond.
