Hamilton wants favouritism erased from stewarding
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, climbs the stairs at Barcelona testing. Spain, February 2022.
Lewis Hamilton believes some stewards favour certain drivers, which he insists must stop as of this season.
The FIA have been carrying out a major restructuring of Formula 1 Race Control during the off-season, under the leadership of new FIA president Mohammed bin Sulayem.
New race directors have been put in place, the role to be shared by Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, with Herbie Blash in a supporting role, while a remote virtual Race Control will also be in operation.
But Hamilton wants the focus to trickle down to the race stewards also, ensuring going forward there is no bias towards certain drivers.
Fernando Alonso last season had suggested driver nationality plays a role in the decisions coming from the stewards.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) February 23, 2022
“We need to make sure we get non-biased stewards too,” said Hamilton, quoted by Motorsport.com.
“Racing drivers, some are very, very good friends with certain individuals. Some travel with certain individuals and tend to take more of a keen liking to some of them.
“I just think [we need] people who have no bias and are super-central when it comes to making decisions.”
Hamilton would also like to see a greater gender balance in the stewards’ room, arguing the vast majority are male.
“I want to see more women in the stewards’ room,” he stated.
“I don’t think we have many, I think last year it was maybe one or two.”
Going further than that, Hamilton suggests a male and female race director duo.
“I think it would be awesome for them to have a male and female as the two race directors,” he added.
“I think that’s a great way of promoting diversity too.”
Inconsistencies in decision-making from Race Control was an issue that cropped up on multiple occasions during the 2021 season, in particular surrounding what was deemed acceptable racing or forcing a driver off the track.
McLaren’s Daniel Ricciardo believes the drivers are pretty much on the same page with their views.
“Probably amongst all of us drivers, we are probably in line with what we think is the way to go racing, but there will still be a bit of a difference and what’s forcing and what’s not,” he said.
“So even between us, it’s not always that straightforward. Not an easy job, but if there’s some level of consistency that’s all we can ask, and then we know a little bit better what’s right from wrong.”
PlanetF1 Verdict
Hamilton says stewards are bias, Horner disagrees
Lewis Hamilton says that stewards are biased but Christian Horner disagrees.
