F1: Steiner summoned to see Stewards in Spain

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Haas Formula 1 boss Gunther Steiner has been summoned by the FIA to answer allegations of potential misconduct in criticizing race stewards to the media instead of behind the scenes directly to their face.

Steiner claimed that an ongoing lack of consistency in stewards’ decisions had left him feeling the time had come for professionals to be brought in.

“Every professional sport has got professionals being referees and stuff like this,” he said.

“F1 is one of the biggest sports in the world, and we still have laymen deciding on the fate of people who invest millions in their careers. And it’s always a discussion because there’s no consistency.

“I think we need to step it up. I think it’s now time. I think we’re discussing this for years and years, and we always go back to this.”

A statement from the governing body said that there were allegations he broke three regulations of the FIA’s International Sporting Code

The three rules say an offense will be deemed to have taken place for

12.2.1.c Any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any Competition or to the interests of motor sport generally.

12.2.1.f Any words, deeds or writings that have caused moral injury or loss to the FIA, its bodies, its members or its executive officers, and more generally on the interest of motorsport and on the values defended by the FIA.

12.2.1.k Any Misconduct towards, but not limited to: • license-holders, • officials, • officers or member of the staff of the FIA, • members of the staff of the Organizer or promoter, • members of the staff of the Competitors, • suppliers of products or services to (or contractors or subcontractors to) any of the parties listed above; • doping control officials or any other person involved in a doping control carried out in accordance with Appendix A.