FIA president speaks out on stewards debate: 'They think we're against the British'

At an unusual press conference in Buenos Aires, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem directly confronted one of Formula 1's most pressing issues: the inconsistency of stewards' decisions and the wave of criticism from fans. The story began at the Dutch Grand Prix, where young drivers Franco Colapinto (Alpine) and Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) received drive-through penalties for overtaking under yellow flags after Max Verstappen's opening-lap crash. Both disputed the decision, but the backlash from Argentine fans, especially a sponsor executive of Colapinto, escalated the matter. "They think we're against the British," Ben Sulayem told reporters, referring to similar accusations from British fans and teams. "But others say we're against Argentina. In reality, we are only against unfairness." Based on my experience watching hundreds of races, this is not a simple case. It exposes a complex network of power, culture, and expectation. The F1 stewards are built on independence, but when each decision becomes a tribal war, objectivity erodes. Ben Sulayem has committed to reforming steward selection, asking ASNs to nominate candidates for standardized training and rotation. The core issue is the lack of transparency in decision-making. Data sometimes has limits. Data is a shelter, but the story is home. The emotional weight of the controversy shows that FIA must balance technical rules with public trust. The contrarian angle: responding to pressure from Argentina is not weakness but political savvy. Yet it creates a paradox: if FIA changes decisions under pressure, steward independence is questioned. FIA confirmed no result change but will boost anti-abuse measures. The takeaway: F1 races happen not only on track but also in FIA offices, online forums, and fans' minds. The question is whether FIA will implement real reform or just temporary appeasement.