McLaren chief slams FIA failure after brutal F1 AXE

McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, has slammed the FIA’s failure following their decision to axe Formula 1 steward Johnny Herbert.

The FIA announced that Herbert would be stepping down from his role as an F1 steward in 2025, after it was ‘mutually’ agreed that his work within the organisation and role as a pundit were ‘incompatible’.

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Herbert’s axe follows Jos Verstappen’s protest that the former F1 driver possessed a ‘conflict of interest’, after he presided over Max Verstappen’s 20-second-time penalty at the Mexican Grand Prix last season.

However, the dismissal has sparked a debate on how the FIA approach their system in F1, with Brown slamming the failure of the organisation to provide consistent stewarding.

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Brown calls for FIA to introduce permanent F1 stewards

The McLaren boss discussed F1’s stewarding system during an appearance at the Autosport Business Exchange, where he stated that F1 could not be successful unless they used full-time stewards.

"The biggest thing we need to do is approach the stewarding system," said Brown.

"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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"As far as paying for the stewards, this will probably be unpopular amongst my fellow teams.

"I'm happy if McLaren 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."

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Despite his issues with the current system, Brown admitted he did not understand the full relationship between the FIA and F1.

"What I don’t know is what’s the relationship contractually between the FIA and Formula 1 as far as what's the level of expectations on stewarding," he added.

"But at the end of the day, the agreement says part-time stewarding is not paid."

"So if we have to pay for it, in the big scheme of things I do not think it will be a significant amount."

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