Why did FIA suspend F1 race steward Derek Warwick?

F1 race steward Derek Warwick has been suspended by the FIA for the Canadian Grand Prix after his comments to the media.

The FIA made a clear statement earlier this year when former steward and racing driver Johnny Herbert was axed by the governing body for providing quotes to the media.

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Herbert’s axe came after claims that his role as a steward and work in the media were a conflict of interest, with a steward responsible for penalty decision making during F1 weekends.

Now, Warwick has been suspended for a similar reason, after he supplied quotes to the media following the Spanish GP.

The FIA revealed in a statement that: "It was mutually agreed that his duties as an FIA steward and that of a media pundit were incompatible."

What did Warwick say to the F1 media?

Warwick has been an active steward with the FIA for several years, but his recent quotes conflicted with the governing body’s commitment to impartiality.

Ahead of the Canadian GP weekend, Warwick claimed that Lewis Hamilton could retire from F1 if Ferrari do not improve, whilst supporting the 40-year-old in his quest for a record breaking eighth world title.

“I think if it carries on the way it is at the minute, I suspect he’s already thinking of stopping,” he said to Plejmo.

“I think we all saw him moving to Ferrari as a great opportunity to win his eighth world title.

“The car is not to his liking at the minute. Most critics will say he’s a seven-times world champion, 105 grand prix wins, surely you adapt to the car you’ve got, because Charles has.”

Warwick will be replaced by Enrique Bernoldi in Montreal this weekend, but the former F1 driver will resume his duties as a steward for the Austrian GP after acknowledging his comments to the media were ill advised.

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