FIA president promises fairness amid Colapinto stewards controversy

Ben Sulayem addresses Dutch GP penalty backlash

The Formula 1 stewards remained at the centre of controversy after the Dutch Grand Prix, where Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad were both handed drive-through penalties for overtaking under yellow flags.

The incidents followed Max Verstappen’s heavy opening-lap crash at Zandvoort. Both the Alpine and Racing Bulls drivers disagreed with the decisions, while the rulings triggered a particularly strong reaction from fans in Argentina. An executive linked to one of Colapinto’s main sponsors also questioned the integrity of the FIA stewards in a social media post that was later deleted.

The FIA subsequently confirmed that it was examining its legal options after race officials were subjected to abuse. The episode added to the scrutiny surrounding Colapinto, whose position within Formula 1 remains a major focus of attention, as reflected in Alpine’s decision to retain Franco Colapinto for the 2027 season.

Speaking at the FIA American Congress in Buenos Aires, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was asked whether more South American stewards could be appointed for Formula 1 events. He said the organisation was already preparing training and rotation plans.

“To us, it’s about all the drivers,” Ben Sulayem said. “But I do agree with you. We are now having training. We even called for a training course. So, we asked the ASNs [FIA Member Clubs] to send us names that we can train because we are going to rotate the stewards.”

FIA rejects claims of national bias

Ben Sulayem said complaints about stewarding were not limited to Argentina, revealing that he had heard similar concerns from Britain. He rejected the suggestion that the FIA targeted drivers from any particular country, but said he would examine the issue and speak directly with Colapinto.

“You can be tough, but you have to be fair. Fairness is the mission of the FIA,” he said. “I will look into that and see. And I will speak to him [Colapinto]. I will call Franco myself. I will hear what he has to say.”

Online abuse remains a wider concern

The FIA president also renewed his opposition to online harassment directed at drivers, journalists and officials. He said the organisation’s campaign against abuse required cooperation between governments, federations, media and teams.

Ben Sulayem cited a study suggesting that 70% of the abuse came from North and South America, with further abuse originating in Europe and elsewhere. He stressed that the problem affected all sports, not only motorsport, and described the effort to combat it as a long-term collective task.