Mercedes driver George Russell believes it’s time to move on from volunteer Formula 1 stewards and have full-time officials in place with “real salaries”.
The debate around stewards inconsistency has raged on throughout the Autumn triple header in Austin, Mexico City and Sao Paulo.
Clashes between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in the United States and Mexico City GPs have particularly caught the eye.
Norris was penalised in Austin and Verstappen was punished in Mexico City as interpretations of racing guidelines shifted due to circumstance and the stewards overseeing each race.
While some claim the racing guidelines need re-writing, Russell is adamant that permanent stewards are the right solution to F1’s latest conundrum.
“On a personal view, not a view of the collective, I don’t think [the rulebook] needs ripping up at all, I think it just needs some fine adjustments or a small addition,” Russell told media including Motorsport Week on Thursday.
“The guidelines need to be in place, but I think it also needs to be remembered they are guidelines, there’s not a written regulation and it’s down to the stewards to take the best judgement.
“But when things come down to interpretation and when things are about consistency you can argue if you were to have the same stewards week in, week out the consistency will be better because they’re interpreting things in the same manner and the drivers understand exactly what they expect in a given circumstance.
“So, I do feel again, personal view, not one of on behalf of the drivers, but personal view, I do think we’re at a point now in this sport that we do need full-time professional stewards, where they earn a real salary, proper salary.
“They’re effectively volunteers and I do think within the pool of stewards we’ve got now, they are definitely up to standard.
“So, it’s not saying anything bad about the current stewards.”
Only serious incidents instigate change, says Russell
Russell, a Director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association revealed after the Mexico City GP that all but one of the drivers were in favour of altering the race guidelines immediately.
He also questioned Verstappen’s manoeuvres towards Norris, whereby the Dutchman forced the McLaren driver wide on two occasions in a single lap, incurring 20 seconds worth of penalties.
Verstappen has contested that, and the criticism that has come with it, ever since the Mexico City GP came to a close.
Still, Russell believes egregious driving will only be punished when it goes over the limit.
“If there were no discussions prior to Mexico, I don’t ever see a scenario where the incident at Turn 8 would have gone unpunished,” Russell said.
“What happened in Austin was, you can argue both drivers were in the wrong. I think for sure now things are evolving and you need, it’s like the safety of the cars, you need a bad accident to happen before you make this real progress.
“And it’s the same with the driving regulations, you need something or decisions to be incorrect or things to be pushed beyond its limit before you realise change needs to happen.”
READ MORE – George Russell: All but one driver aligned on F1 racing guidelines
