FIA Suspends Warwick for Gambling Site Comments

Derek Warwick, a former Formula 1 driver and experienced FIA steward, was suspended from officiating at the Canadian Grand Prix after he gave an interview to a gambling website in which he defended the penalty given to Max Verstappen for colliding with George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, calling it the correct decision and elaborating on the incident. The FIA deemed these remarks inappropriate for an active steward and replaced Warwick with Enrique Bernoldi, who officiated remotely from Geneva. Warwick has apologized and is expected to return as a steward at the Austrian Grand Prix. This is the second recent steward suspension for similar reasons, following Johnny Herbert's earlier removal for media comments made to gambling outlets. These suspensions have reignited debate about the independence and public roles of F1 stewards, as well as concerns about potential conflicts of interest. The FIA has emphasized its commitment to impartiality among race officials.