FIA president hits back at F1 drivers over stewards concern

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has criticised F1 drivers over the calls to implement permanent stewards, questioning where the money to pay the salaries will come from.

Various F1 drivers have suggested introducing a permanent stewarding team could help consistency concerns going forward.

George Russell, who is a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, highlighted on numerous occasions that drivers are unaware of where fines for infringements during race weekends end up.

This was further reiterated in a public letter directed to the FIA and Ben Sulayem last month.

The FIA president has suggested drivers are unwilling to pay for the permanent stewards they are longing for.

“It’s very nice talk,” said Ben Sulaymen, speaking to Autosport. “But when they say professional, and they want professional, they don’t want to pay for it. That is so obvious.

“They talk and then they say, ‘Where are you putting the money? Why we don’t do this?’ But I don’t say, ‘Oh, sorry, what about you?’ The drivers are getting over $100million. Do I ask where they spend it? No, it’s up to them. It’s their right.

“So please, it’s not only me saying it is none of their business. We do whatever we do with our money. It’s our business. It’s also [the same] with them and their money. It’s their business.

“But I don’t really sometimes understand. It’s always about the FIA. Why are we doing this? Why are we doing that? But did anyone go to FOM?”

Ben Sulayem added the FIA does not have the resources to fund permanent stewards.

“I say it again and again – stewards do not grow on trees,” he said. “It takes time to educate them.  It takes time to train them. And then you evolve them, so we have a programme.

“I see the point about having them maybe like the Premier League where they [the referees] are paid. But we don’t have the money to do that.”