Last week, the FIA upheld Williams’ protest over Carlos Sainz’s penalty from Zandvoort, where he had been sanctioned for colliding with Liam Lawson. After review, the stewards admitted their mistake, overturned the penalty, and ruled the clash a racing incident.
Speaking in Baku, the Ferrari driver argued that Formula 1 needs salaried permanent stewards to avoid inconsistent decisions. He suggested that two of the three stewards should serve full-time, while the third could rotate to gain experience.
Sainz called it a matter of sporting fairness: “With the same stewards at every race, drivers can better understand their approach and expectations. When the panel changes, the outcome becomes unpredictable.” He welcomed the cancellation of his penalty points as a positive step.
