The FIA has suspended steward Derek Warwick for the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend. According to the motorsport federation, the former driver made “unauthorized” statements in the media.
Warwick spoke earlier this week with gambling site Plejmo. He said, among other things, that Max Verstappen’s penalty for the incident with George Russell in the Spanish Grand Prix was correct. Warwick also expressed the suspicion that Hamilton might be thinking about retirement.
The FIA said in a statement of “unauthorized” statements. “Derek acknowledges that his comments were ill-considered in his role as FIA steward. He has apologized for this.”
Warwick was to act as driver steward at the Canadian Grand Prix, a role that is filled at every race by a former F1 driver. In that role, Warwick co-decides on penalties imposed on drivers and teams for violations during Grands Prix.
Warwick will be replaced in Canada by Enrique Bernoldi and will return as steward at the next Grand Prix in Austria.
Herbert stopped as steward because of role in media
This is not the first time that a steward has been discredited due to statements in the media. At the beginning of this year, former driver Johnny Herbert stopped as steward because, according to the FIA, his role could not be properly combined with his commentaries in the media.
Herbert weekly shed his light on the performances of drivers in a newsletter from a gambling website that was sent to all media.