Stewards in F1, Brown’s proposal: “McLaren will pay for them”

by Walter Izzo

Zak Brown’s recent statements about F1 stewards have sparked significant debate. According to the McLaren CEO, race stewards should be full-time professionals, with McLaren even willing to cover the costs

A provocative suggestion—or perhaps not. Brown, who leads the reigning 2024 World Champion McLaren team, has made a proposal to the FIA regarding the stewarding system. His idea is to employ full-time stewards in Formula 1, moving away from the current FIA practice of rotating unpaid volunteer officials from race to race.

McLaren and Zak Brown go ahead on their proposal of paying stewards in F1. Strong sentences from Brown, against Ben-Sulayem’s choice and the FIA

Brown’s proposal comes at a time when many team principals share their concerns, especially after controversial decisions in the latter part of the 2024 season. From the Las Vegas GP onwards, a change in race officials led to a complete shift in stewarding decisions, causing inconsistency with previous years. The situation was further highlighted by Johnny Herbert’s departure from his role as a race steward under the FIA and its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Brown’s proposal: “We’ll pay for them”

Speaking at the Autosport Business Exchange in London, Zak Brown emphasized the need for reforming the stewarding system: “The most important thing is to address (or rather, to rebuild) the stewarding system. Having unpaid, part-time stewards in a multi-billion-dollar sport where every decision is crucial is… It’s a technical job, and when they get it right, nobody says, ‘Great job.’ I don’t think we can continue without full-time stewards. The individuals themselves are fine, but the regulations are too restrictive “.

Zak Brown on the stewards in F1: “If it is necessary, McLaren will pay. It is not excessive”. Pictured, the Papayas after their win in Baku in 2024

“I’d like us to take a step back and loosen the regulations. I want full-time stewards who can make more subjective decisions on what’s right or wrong. Regarding their payment, this may be an unpopular opinion among my colleagues, but I don’t mind if McLaren and other teams contribute. It’s vital for the sport, and if all teams chip in, it’s not an excessive cost”.

Then Zak concluded: “I’m not sure about the contractual relationship between the FIA and Formula 1 regarding stewards. But ultimately, part-time stewards are unpaid. In any business, if you want change, it comes with a cost. If we have to pay for it, in the grand scheme of things, I don’t think it will be a significant expense. If McLaren covers a share, along with F1 and the FIA, splitting the cost makes it manageable.”

Photo: McLaren

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