Derek Warwick Suspended From Canadian GP Stewarding Duties

The FIA has suspended Derek Warwick from his duties as driver steward for this weekend’s Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix, marking a rare disciplinary action against one of the sport’s most experienced officials.

The suspension comes as the championship heats up and fans are more engaged than ever with F1’s every twist and turn. As audiences grow globally, many are also turning their attention to race predictions and outcomes through Litecoin betting sites, taking advantage of cryptocurrency’s fast transactions when wagering on everything from race winners to potential penalties. But few could have foreseen the news that came from the Canadian race.

Derek Warwick, a former F1 driver who competed in 147 Grand Prix races during his career, is a familiar face in the stewards’ room since he retired from active competition. The 72-year-old Englishman has decades of racing experience behind him, having raced with such teams as Renault, Brabham and Arrows in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The FIA has not given details as to the reasons for the suspension of Warwick, but sources indicate that it could be as a result of a procedural issue and not the weekend on-track incident. It is a huge turn of events considering that Warwick has a reputable status in the F1 fraternity.

The timing is especially interesting, as the Canadian Grand Prix weekend begins. The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal has a reputation of creating thrilling races and dramatic scenes, and the makeup of the stewarding panel is of critical importance in ensuring the healthy competition.

The FIA will need to quickly identify a replacement steward who can step into Warwick’s role for the weekend—no easy task at short notice, especially given the need for both racing experience and knowledge of current F1 regulations.

This incident underlines the magnifying glass with which F1 stewarding is being examined in these modern times. Stewards work under more scrutiny than ever before with social media offering an instant analysis of each decision and fans more passionate than ever.

The recent seasons have been marred with contentious penalty calls, track limits enforcement and on-track incidents. The uniformity and clarity of stewarding decisions are now the hot topics, discussed by teams, drivers, as well as fans.

The suspension of Warwick happens when the FIA itself is undergoing internal changes and challenges. FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem is already enacting numerous changes within the organization and this stewarding scenario further complicates the governance system of F1.

Stewarding changes may represent the background noise to casual fans, but it can carry major title implications. The application of penalties and regulations is important to safeguard the integrity of the world championship, and this should be done with consistency and fairness.

As McLaren tops the constructors’ championship but is being challenged by Ferrari and Mercedes, all stewarding decisions have an added significance. The new steward will have to study the particularities of the current F1 rules and the challenges offered by Montreal in a short period of time.