News summary
- FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says the governing body is training new stewards and has called for a training course to expand the pool of officials available for Formula 1.
- Ben Sulayem also agreed that the FIA could have more South American stewards in F1, after Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad were penalized at the Dutch Grand Prix.
- The FIA president rejected claims of bias against particular nationalities and said stewards must always be “fair,” even when applying the rules strictly.
The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) has responded to the controversy surrounding recent Formula 1 stewarding decisions by confirming that it is training new officials and preparing to rotate a larger pool of stewards in the championship.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem addressed the issue during a media session at the FIA American Congress in Buenos Aires on Wednesday (2), just days after the controversial penalties handed to Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Both drivers received drive-through penalties at Zandvoort for overtaking under double-waved yellow flags following Max Verstappen’s opening-lap crash. The stewards considered the significant amount of debris on track as a mitigating circumstance and therefore applied the lighter drive-through rather than the standard 10-second stop-go penalty.
The decisions generated strong criticism, particularly in Argentina, while the FIA later condemned the online abuse directed at the stewards. Ben Sulayem was asked whether the governing body could increase the number of South American officials involved in Formula 1.
“To us, it’s about all the drivers,” he said. “But I do agree with you. We are now having training. We even called for a training course. So, we asked the ASNs [FIA Member Clubs] to send us names that we can train because we are going to rotate the stewards.”
FIA wants larger pool of F1 stewards
Ben Sulayem’s comments indicate that the FIA wants to broaden the pool of trained officials who can take part in the stewarding rotation. The president did not say that the new training initiative was created specifically because of the Zandvoort controversy, but his comments came amid renewed scrutiny of the way decisions are made in Formula 1.
The FIA had already launched dedicated training programs for motorsport officials in 2026, including a Stewards Training Programme designed to strengthen officials’ knowledge, confidence and decision-making.
The issue has also raised questions about geographical representation. Asked specifically about the possibility of having more South American stewards in Formula 1, Ben Sulayem agreed with the suggestion while emphasizing that the governing body’s responsibility is to all competitors.
The FIA president also rejected the idea that the governing body or its officials discriminate against drivers based on nationality.
“I will look into it, because I have also heard other people saying that they are against other people. I get the same thing,” Ben Sulayem said.
“They think that the FIA is against the British, but we are not against them. But, you know, sometimes it’s good to ask the stewards and always go to them and say: always be fair.”
“You can be tough, but you have to be fair. Fairness is the mission of the FIA. But we will look into that and see. And I will speak to him [Colapinto]. I will call Franco myself. I will hear what he has to say.”
The comments come after Colapinto publicly criticized the severity of his drive-through penalty at Zandvoort, arguing that the circumstances made it extremely difficult to react to the late yellow flags. Lindblad received an identical penalty for a separate incident under the same yellow-flag period.
The FIA also faced a backlash online after the decisions. The governing body condemned what it described as targeted abuse of its stewards and said it was examining possible legal options following the harassment.
Ben Sulayem addresses online abuse
The FIA president also used the opportunity in Buenos Aires to reinforce his opposition to online abuse directed at drivers, journalists and officials.
“The abuse is happening to the drivers, to the journalists, to the officials, to many of us,” Ben Sulayem said, recalling the FIA’s campaign against online abuse.
He said the initiative requires cooperation between governments, federations, media outlets and teams, arguing that the FIA cannot tackle the problem alone.
The discussion surrounding the Zandvoort penalties therefore extends beyond the individual decisions involving Colapinto and Lindblad. The FIA is now looking to expand and rotate its pool of trained stewards, while Ben Sulayem has signaled that greater geographical representation could be part of that process.
The Formula 1 season resumes this weekend at Monza, with the Italian Grand Prix taking place from September 4-6. The race is the 13th round of the 2026 championship.
The GRANDE PRÊMIO follows all the action from Monza and the entire 2026 Formula 1 season.
FAQ
Why did the FIA come under scrutiny after the Dutch Grand Prix?
The controversy followed drive-through penalties given to Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad for overtaking under double-waved yellow flags after Max Verstappen’s opening-lap crash at Zandvoort.
What did Mohammed Ben Sulayem say about new F1 stewards?
The FIA president said the governing body is already conducting training and has called for a training course, while asking its Member Clubs to nominate people who can be trained for a future rotation of F1 stewards.
Could Formula 1 have more South American stewards?
Ben Sulayem agreed that greater South American representation could be considered. He did not announce a specific number of new officials or a timetable, but said the FIA is expanding the pool of people it can train and rotate.
