Zak Brown has suggested a stewarding change in F1 (Image: Getty)
Racing CEO supports bringing full-time, paid stewards into F1 as long as the teams are willing to share the financial burden.
Currently, all FIA stewards at F1 events are volunteers, and their travel to Grand Prix destinations is expensed. With only a limited number of individuals possessing the necessary experience and the desire to fulfil the roles, the sport’s governing body’s hands are tied.
Question marks regarding stewarding consistency have also surfaced. In 2024, many drivers were hit with harsh and extreme penalties at some events, while their rivals were punished more lightly for their infringements at other races.
This predicament reignited the debate about employing permanent stewards, who would travel to all or most Grands Prix along with the teams, drivers and race control, providing stability and consistency in the stewards’ room.
Brown discussed the stewarding debate at the Autosport Business Exchange: “To have part-time, unpaid stewards in a multi-billion-dollar sport where everything is on the line to make the right call…It is a technical job, and when you get it right, no one says ‘Great job’.
“But I don’t think we are set up for success by not having full-time stewards. The individuals are fine but the rulebook is too restrictive. I’d like us to take a step back, loosen it up. Have full time stewards who can make more of a subjective decision of whether that was right or wrong.
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FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem is in favour of permanent stewards (Image: Getty)
“As far as paying for the stewards, this will probably be unpopular amongst my fellow teams. I’m happy if and all the racing teams contribute. It’s so important for the sport. It can’t be that expensive if everybody contributes. It’s not going to break the bank.
“What I don’t know is what’s the relationship contractually between the FIA and Formula One as far as what’s the level of expectations on stewarding. But at the end of the day, the agreement says part-time stewarding is not paid.
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“In any business, if you want something different, it’s called a change order and if you want to change something, you have to pay for it. So if we have to pay for it, in the big scheme of things I do not think it will be a significant amount.
“If it comes back to where you pay a percentage and what F1 will pay and what the FIA will pay, if you break up that fee, it is not that much but I think it is that important.”