Audi now moves to appeal the Tsunoda Monza decision
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Steward
The Spanish GP at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Race stewards are the FIA-appointed judges who apply the rules of Formula 1 during a Grand Prix weekend. They investigate incidents, hear from drivers and teams, and hand down penalties from five-second warnings to disqualifications. A panel of four stewards operates at every Grand Prix, always including one former F1 driver, and they make the calls that decide races.
What is a steward in F1?
A steward is an FIA-appointed official responsible for judging sporting and technical infringements during a Grand Prix. Stewards operate as a panel of four: a Chairman (senior FIA appointee), two regular stewards (one nominated by the FIA and one by the host national federation), and a driver steward, always a former F1 driver rotated across the season.
What stewards do
- investigate on-track incidents flagged by Race Control or noted independently;
- hear from drivers and team representatives;
- issue penalties ranging from reprimands to disqualification;
- rule on protests submitted by teams;
- enforce technical breaches identified by scrutineering;
- publish written decisions with reasoning after every session.
The driver steward
The driver steward is one of the most closely watched positions in the paddock. Former drivers such as Derek Warwick, Danny Sullivan, Emanuele Pirro and Vitantonio Liuzzi rotate through the role. Their contribution is meant to be the "how a driver would see it" perspective, and their input often sets the tone of a decision.
Penalty ladder
Stewards work through a defined ladder of penalties:
- five-second time penalty;
- ten-second time penalty;
- drive-through penalty;
- ten-second stop-and-go penalty;
- grid drop at the next race;
- disqualification;
- race ban (extremely rare).
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Frequently asked questions about F1 stewards
Who are the F1 stewards?
A panel of four FIA-appointed officials, including a Chairman, two regular stewards and one former F1 driver rotated across the season.
What do F1 stewards do?
They investigate incidents, hear from drivers and teams, and issue penalties from reprimands to disqualification.
Who is the driver steward at F1 races?
A former Grand Prix driver, rotated across the season. Derek Warwick, Danny Sullivan, Emanuele Pirro and Vitantonio Liuzzi are regulars in the role.
Can stewards decisions be appealed?
Yes. Teams can appeal to the FIA International Court of Appeal, though successful appeals are rare and time-limited.
What is the harshest steward penalty?
Disqualification from the race, followed in rare cases by a race ban applied to the next event.
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