Following a series of controversial duels during the American triple header, particularly between title contenders Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, union chairman George Russell is once again advocating for professional stewards. The Englishman questions whether the current rules need to be adjusted; in his view, consistent, professional referees would be much more effective.
In recent weeks, there has been much criticism of the number of rules and sometimes unclear guidelines around overtaking and defending. Max Verstappen responded after he was handed two time penalties during the Mexican GP. However, George Russell, chairman of the Formula 1 drivers’ union, sees little issue with the current rules. Instead, he is advocating for the professionalization of the stewards, the ‘referees’ who currently judge what happens on the track on a voluntary basis.”I personally don’t think the rulebook needs to be torn up,” said George Russell ahead of the São Paulo GP. “There are only a few minor adjustments or additions needed. I believe it’s all quite clear. Guidelines are necessary, but we must not forget that they are just guidelines. There isn’t a written rule for every incident; it’s up to the stewards to make a judgement.”
Professionalization
“To ensure that the guidelines are interpreted consistently, it would be better if we had the same stewards every week,” Russell stated. “This would allow the drivers to better anticipate what to expect in certain situations. Therefore, I think we need a full-time, professional steward with a suitable salary. By this, I don’t mean that the current stewards aren’t doing their job well. It would simply be beneficial if we had the same referees every week.”
Russell admitted that further clarification of the guidelines is necessary. Sometimes, the exact meaning of a rule only becomes clear when its wording is put to the test. “Some guidelines talk about reckless or dangerous driving,” the Mercedes driver explained. “So, a certain degree of interpretation is needed. That’s why I think the regulations could be cleaned up. After all, every incident is unique.”
