Breaking:FIA stewards accused of Verstappen penalty bias and call for…read more
FIA stewards accused of Verstappen penalty bias and call for…read more
Former Formula 1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has stirred controversy by suggesting that the FIA stewards exhibit bias when issuing penalties, particularly targeting Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. His comments follow a contentious incident during the Miami Grand Prix sprint race, where Verstappen was penalised with a 10-second time penalty for a collision with Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli in the pit lane.
The penalty proved costly, dropping Verstappen to the back of the field and severely affecting his race prospects. Despite recovering to finish fourth in the main race on Sunday, Verstappen failed to reclaim his championship lead, as McLaren’s Oscar Piastri clinched his third straight Grand Prix victory. Piastri managed to overtake Verstappen on Lap 14 and maintained the lead until the checkered flag.
In an interview with Vision4Sport, Villeneuve lauded Piastri’s recent performances, highlighting the young Australian as a rising star. However, he also implied that Piastri’s current golden status in the sport might be shielding him from penalties that other drivers, including Verstappen, would typically receive. “Piastri is loved. He’s like the golden child right now,” Villeneuve said. “If something happens, he won’t be given penalties as easily as Max Verstappen is, for instance. That’s also a big help in fighting for a championship.”
Villeneuve’s criticism is rooted in the perception of inconsistent application of rules by the FIA, which he believes can unfairly influence the championship battle. He drew parallels between the present situation and the past intra-team rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes. During their intense title battles between 2013 and 2016, Villeneuve recalls similar discrepancies in how penalties were handed out.
“It reminds me of when we had Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg fighting for the championship,” he explained. “If they made the same move, Nico would get a penalty. In the following race, if Lewis made the same move, he wouldn’t be penalised. There is this slight unbalance which is human and Piastri is on the right side of the balance.”
The remarks have reignited debates within the F1 community about the fairness and transparency of the FIA’s stewarding process. Critics argue that such perceived bias, even if unintentional, can undermine the integrity of the sport and have significant implications for the outcome of a tightly contested championship.
Supporters of Verstappen have echoed Villeneuve’s concerns, pointing to what they view as disproportionately harsh treatment by race officials. Meanwhile, Piastri and his team have yet to respond to the comments, maintaining focus on their continued success.
As the season progresses, pressure is mounting on the FIA to ensure greater consistency in its decisions and to address concerns about impartiality—especially as the title race heats up between F1’s most promising talents.
