F1 boss rejects permanent stewards

Stewards were criticised for their reaction to this collision

Motorsport boss Max Mosley has rejected the idea of having permanent race stewards for Formula One.

Mosley said that F1 would continue with the current system, where a small pool of stewards rotate from race to race, with three attending each Grand Prix.

The issue has been raised because the stewards have been criticised for issuing a number of controversial decisions this season.

Top drivers Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya have both accused the stewards of inconsistency after incidents involving them.

It is probably a little unwise for Montoya to complain about other drivers

Max Mosley
FIA president

But Mosley said: "We will not be having permanent stewards because they can become part of the circus.

"They get to know everybody, they have got their friends and enemies in the paddock, and they are not independent.

"We feel it is enormously important to have completely independent people making these decisions.

"In the nature of things, they will take decisions that sometimes some of us will think are wrong. This is the same with all sport," added the president of motorsport's governing body, the FIA.

Mosley also rejected the idea of employing a former driver to judge incidents in races.

"Ex-drivers tend to be a little out of date, and yet seen as total authorities - that combination is dangerous.

"It is like referees in football. You don't need to have been a footballer, you only need to know the rules."

Montoya has heavily criticised race stewards this year after being penalised for a collision with Schumacher at the start of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Angry reaction

He was blamed for the incident and given a drive-through penalty, a decision that was almost universally condemned, including by Schumacher.

Montoya also said it was wrong for stewards to have issued no action after a crash in the first race in Australia, where his team-mate Ralf Schumacher was launched over Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello at the start.

But Mosley warned Montoya to calm down after the Colombian reacted angrily to a second incident with Michael Schumacher, at the Brazilian GP.

The Colombian was incensed at the way Schumacher escaped punishment after chopping in front of him and wrecking his front wing on the first lap.

People should be free to say they don't agree with the FIA stewards

Max Mosley

He has said he is now prepared to do the same to his Ferrari rival.

But Mosley said: "It is very foolish if drivers express themselves aggressively on these matters because in the end it is a very dangerous sport and we can get accidents.

"If you do get some aggressive comment followed by an accident in the race that can have consequences outside the sport.

"From his [Montoya's] point of view it is probably a little unwise to complain about other drivers in case something happens which might cause him difficulties.

"People should be free to express an opinion and be free to show dissent and say they don't agree with the FIA stewards.

"We try not to get involved in these sort of things unless somebody really starts to damage the sport."