Hamilton: Formula 1 needs impartial sports commissioners! There is a lack of objectivity and more diversity, he thinks

The race directorate, headed by its leader Michael Masi, has been at the centre of all the action in recent months. Particularly after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but not only at the last race of the season, there were indeed big controversies. The changes that have been made are important, but Hamilton believes F1 needs impartial sports commissioners…

More recently, the FIA decided to remove Masi as race director, while FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced the creation of VRC (Virtual Race Control), which is intended to perform a similar function in Formula 1 to the VAR system in football.

The new directors will be Niels Wittich (DTM) and Eduardo Freitas (WEC, Le Mans), who will alternate in this role for the 2022 season, with Herbie Blash, who is Charlie Whiting’s former deputy, acting as an advisor.

How exactly are some of the rules to be interpreted, what do the regulations actually say about taking a safety car onto the race track or what is and isn’t allowed in a wheel-to-wheel battle?

There was often confusion during the decisions of the sports commissaires and race director to give or not give a penalty, and objectively we have to admit that some moments were judged one way in one race and another way in another.

This is something that the FIA, together with F1, wants to avoid at all costs, and it is the new president, Ben Sulayem, who is not afraid to make changes, who has been very vocal about this. After all, Formula 1 needed something like this like salt, and Hamilton himself welcomes it.

“Formula 1 really needs unbiased stewards. Some drivers are very good friends with certain people. But I think we need people who don’t have prejudices and are impartial in their decision making,” Hamilton told Motorsport.

It should be noted, a similar complaint was also made by Fernando Alonso last year, who literally claimed that there are different rules for different people.

Hamilton, however, goes on to add that he thinks Formula 1 needs more diversity among the stewards.

“I would like to see more women in the stewards’ room. I don’t think we have many – last year it was maybe one or two. And I think it would be great if there were two race directors – a man and a woman. It would also be a great way to encourage diversity,” he explains further in the interview.

The Mercedes driver’s comments were backed up by other drivers, including Sergio Pérez in addition to Alonso. The latter said that there is some controversy in the very nature of Formula 1, but agrees that consistency needs to be achieved wherever possible.

“It’s not like football, where everything is much clearer. Here, every incident is very different and it is very difficult for sports commissioners to make decisions. We have to support the new race director, but in F1 this will always be debated. It is not as straightforward as in other sports,” added Pérez of Hamilton.

Sources: Motorsport, FIA, F1