Ben Sulayem defends FIA stewards after Colapinto penalty sparks bias claims at Zandvoort

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has defended his organisation’s stewards against accusations of national bias, after drive-through penalties issued to Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad at the Dutch Grand Prix triggered a fierce backlash — particularly in Argentina. Speaking at the FIA American Congress in Buenos Aires, Ben Sulayem said he would personally call Colapinto to hear his perspective.

Both Colapinto, driving for Alpine, and Racing Bulls’ Lindblad were penalised for overtaking under yellow flags in the immediate aftermath of Max Verstappen’s heavy crash on the opening lap at Zandvoort. The decisions drew sharp criticism from the drivers themselves and from fans, while an executive at one of Colapinto’s main sponsors went further, posting on social media to question the integrity of the stewards — a post that has since been deleted.

The FIA confirmed it was exploring its legal options following the abuse directed at race stewards in the fallout. Ben Sulayem, addressing the controversy directly, was asked whether the governing body might appoint more South American stewards to officiate at Formula 1 races. He said the FIA is already working on expanding its steward pool through a new rotation and training programme.

“To us, it’s about all the drivers,” Ben Sulayem said. “We are now having training. We even called for a training course. So, we asked the ASNs to send us names that we can train because we are going to rotate the stewards.”

He then revealed that complaints about steward bias are not unique to Argentina, noting that British fans have raised identical concerns from the opposite direction. “I have also heard other people saying that they are against other people. I get the same thing,” he said. “They think that the FIA is against the British, but we are not against them. You can be tough, but you have to be fair. Fairness is the mission of the FIA.”

Ben Sulayem confirmed he intends to speak with Colapinto personally. “I will call Franco myself. I will hear what he has to say.”

The FIA president also used the occasion to renew his call for the motorsport community to collectively combat online abuse, which he said extends well beyond officials to drivers and journalists alike. “The abuse is happening to the drivers, to the journalists, to the officials, to many of us,” he said, warning that the sport risked lasting damage if the issue went unaddressed.