Stewards

Stewards are the officials in motorsport who act as judges and referees, making sure races are run fairly, safely, and according to the rules set by the sport's governing body.

Think of stewards as the combination of referees, judges, and safety inspectors all rolled into one. Just like a referee in football can give yellow or red cards for breaking the rules, stewards have the power to penalize drivers and teams when they don't follow motorsport regulations. They're present at every race event, watching everything that happens both on and off the track.

The main job of stewards is to enforce the rulebook. During a race, they monitor driver behavior closely, watching for incidents like dangerous driving, unfair blocking, or cars making contact with each other. When something happens that might break the rules, stewards review the evidence—including video footage, radio communications, and even data from the cars themselves—to decide if anyone should be punished.

Stewards can hand out various penalties depending on how serious the rule violation is. Minor infractions might result in a warning or a small time penalty added to a driver's race time. More serious violations could mean a drive-through penalty, where the driver must enter the pit lane and drive through at reduced speed, losing valuable time. The most severe penalties include disqualification from the race entirely or grid penalties for future races.

Common situations that stewards deal with include drivers colliding on track, exceeding track limits (driving outside the white lines that mark the edge of the circuit), making unsafe moves that force other drivers off the road, or teams breaking pit lane rules. For example, if a driver is released from their pit stop when it's not safe and nearly causes a collision, the stewards will investigate and likely penalize the team.

Stewards also play a crucial role in vehicle inspections. They work with technical officials to ensure every car meets the strict regulations regarding dimensions, weight, and components. If a car is found to be non-compliant after a race, stewards can disqualify that driver even if they finished first.

Typically, a panel of three or four stewards oversees each race weekend. These officials usually have extensive motorsport experience—many are former racing drivers, team managers, or technical experts. One steward is often appointed by the international governing body (like the FIA in Formula 1), while others may be local officials from the country hosting the race. This mix helps ensure decisions are both experienced and fair.

The decisions stewards make can dramatically change race results and even championship standings. A five-second time penalty might drop a driver from first to third place, potentially costing them crucial championship points. Because their rulings have such significant consequences, stewards must remain impartial and base every decision strictly on the regulations, regardless of which driver or team is involved.