OCTOBER 16, 2025

Sainz calls for permanent ex-driver steward in F1

Carlos Sainz has suggested that Formula 1 should appoint a former driver as a permanent full-time steward to bring greater consistency to official decisions.

In an interview with DAZN, the Williams driver - who also serves as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) - said that while he respects the difficulty of the stewards' role, rotating personnel leads to uneven rulings.

Every time the stewards make a decision, you always back down a bit, Sainz said. "You always see it subjectively, as if they're attacking you or trying to make things difficult for you.

That's why there's always a certain level of frustration with the stewards.

He cited several recent incidents, including collisions with Oliver Bearman and Liam Lawson, as examples of inconsistent judging. Sometimes they get it right, other times they don't, he admitted.

Sainz noted that one of the four stewards at each grand prix is currently a former F1 driver, but the names rotate from race to race. The important thing for me would be for someone who likes the job and believes they can do it well to come forward and say, 'Hey, I want to be in all of them.I think I can do a good job for you,'" he explained.

He argued that such an appointment would mirror the stability provided by the FIA's race director. Since we also have a race director for all the races, we should have a driver-steward for all of them - someone who understands the psychology of drivers and why they make certain decisions, Sainz concluded.

(GMM)