F1 stewards panels set to expand at six races in 2025

Formula 1 stewards’ panels will expand from three to four officials at six events deemed high workload by the FIA, including the 2025 season opener in Australia, Autosport can reveal.

The change is covered in Article 15.1 of F1’s 2025 sporting rules, which have been overhauled in several places just before the new campaign starts.

F1 stewarding panels have comprised of three officials, one of which has long been an ex-racer to help provide the drivers’ point of view when stewards rule on incidents, as well one steward on each panel appointed by the national sporting authority overseeing each race.

Article 15.1 has been changed to state that “a minimum of three and a maximum of four stewards, one of whom will be appointed chairman” will be appointed each race from the holders of an FIA Super Licence (which differs from those earned by F1 drivers).

But Autosport understands the expansion will only apply at six 2025 events the FIA considers to be high workload, based on previous races at the tracks concerned.

It is understood that the races in Australia, China, Canada, Singapore, Mexico and Brazil this year will get the four-stewards panel, with the other 18 races using the standard three-person panel.

The rule change has been made to increase stewarding capacity and resources at the events the FIA’s data has suggested would best benefit.

The change will allow the extra member of the stewards’ panel to perform initial reviews and collate evidence to be considered after incidents.

But decisions will continue to be made by the full panel – rather than the extra member having any greater authority – and a chairperson will still be appointed at each race.

The topic of F1 stewarding continues to be contentious heading into the 2025 campaign.

Last year, there was much discussion regarding the continued use of unpaid volunteers to act as stewards. They are only offered travel expenses to judge racing incidents and other actions covered under the FIA’s compliance codes.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has said he is open to having permanent stewards but has raised the question as to who should pay for them, telling Autosport late in 2024 that “[the drivers] don’t want to pay for it”.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

McLaren boss Zak Brown said at the Autosport Business Exchange in London in January that he would be “happy if McLaren and all the racing teams contribute” as “it’s so important for the sport” to leave the current approach in place for much longer.

In January the FIA dropped ex-F1 racer Johnny Herbert from its stewarding pool for “incompatible” media punditry regarding the Briton’s dealings with betting companies, which has also increased focus on stewards’ activities.

Herbert used his betting platform deal to comment on decisions regarding Max Verstappen that had been made when he acted as a driver steward at last year’s Mexican Grand Prix, which earned a strong rebuke from the world champion’s camp.