FIA News: Another biased British F1 Steward (Warwick) gets axed
Another biased British Formula 1 steward has incurred the wrath of the sport’s governing body – Derek Warwick.
Just weeks before serving as scheduled as an official at the season opening Australian GP, Johnny Herbert was ousted due to a conflict of interest between the FIA role and his outspoken media contributions.
Among other controversial statements made to gambling-related websites, the former F1 driver had said Max Verstappen has a “horrible mindset”.
The FIA declared that Herbert’s media and F1 roles were “incompatible”.
The same fate has now befallen another British former F1 driver – Derek Warwick.
He was already on duty in Canada this weekend but will now be replaced with another ex-F1 racer, Enrique Bernoldi.
The move follows Warwick, 70, declaring to a gambling website last week that Yuki Tsunoda had become a “disaster” for Red Bull, while insisting that Lance Stroll is only as good as the likes of Tsunoda and Liam Lawson.
The FIA announced: “Following recent uunauthorized media comments, the FIA has taken the decision to suspend Derek Warwick from his duties as driver steward” in Montreal.
Warwick “acknowledges that his comments were ill-advised” and “aapologized” the FIA added, explaining that Warwick will be back on duty in Austria.
Warwick competed in Formula One between 1981 and 1993. In endurance racing, Warwick won the World Sportscar Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans, both in 1992 with Peugeot.
FIA Press Release
Following recent unauthorized media comments, the FIA has taken the decision to suspend Derek Warwick from his duties as driver steward for this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix. He will be replaced by Enrique Bernoldi who will be officiating from the Remote Operations Centre in Geneva for the remainder of the event.
After discussion, Derek acknowledges that his comments were ill-advised in his role as an FIA steward and has apologized. Derek will resume his duties as a steward in the forthcoming Austrian Grand Prix.