FIA suspends steward for Canadian Grand Prix over Verstappen penalty comments

Formula 1’s governing body has suspended a driver steward for this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix over comments he made regarding a penalty Max Verstappen received two weeks ago.

The FIA said Friday that Derek Warwick’s comments were not authorized and he will be replaced by Enrique Bernoldi, who will officiate from the Remote Operations Centre in Geneva for the remainder of the weekend.

"After discussion, Derek acknowledges that his comments were ill-advised in his role as an FIA steward and has apologized," the FIA said in a statement. "Derek will resume his duties as a steward in the forthcoming Austrian Grand Prix."

Verstappen received a three-point penalty for running George Russell off track at the Spanish Grand Prix. The penalty put the four-time reigning F1 champion just one point away from an automatic one-race suspension.

Warwick did an interview with a gambling publication in which he defended the penalty levied to Verstappen as the "perfect" punishment because the Dutchman was “absolutely wrong" in the contact with Russell.

It is the second time this year the FIA has penalized a race steward.

Johnny Herbert was let go in January as a steward because the FIA said his "duties as an FIA steward and that of a media pundit were incompatible." The FIA said the decision was made "with regret.’

Herbert at the end of the 2024 season gave several interviews to gambling sites, some related to high-profile decisions he was involved with in his role as a steward. He even had a public argument with Jos Verstappen, father of the four-time champion, after Verstappen was penalized in Mexico City for an incident with Lando Norris.

Jos Verstappen alleged Herbert was biased and said "the FIA should take a good look at the staffing of the stewards, who they put there and whether there is no appearance of a conflict of interest.”

Herbert in turn criticized Verstappen's driving and called it "over the top." He also said Verstappen had developed "a horrible mindset of trying to gain an advantage by taking a fellow driver off the race track."

The FIA determined Herbert had displayed impartiality and could no longer be a steward.

Warwick, meanwhile, has apologized and the FIA has indicated his punishment is only for this weekend.