Breaking: FIA suspend F1 steward for 'unauthorised comments'

The FIA has taken the decision to suspend F1 steward Derek Warwick for what it has described as "unauthorised media comments".

The move comes in the wake of Warwick giving an interview to a gambling site following the recent Spanish Grand Prix.

In his comments, the former F1 driver discussed the incident involving Max Verstappen and George Russell late in the race at the Circuit de Catalunya, and which has left the four-time F1 champion on the brink of a race ban.

Warwick was on the list of the stewards for this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix but has now been replaced.

An FIA statement read: "Following recent unauthorised media comments, the FIA has taken the decision to suspend Derek Warwick from his duties as driver steward for this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix.

"He will be replaced by Enrique Bernoldi, who will be officiating from the Remote Operations Centre in Geneva for the remainder of the event.

"After discussion, Derek acknowledges that his comments were ill-advised in his role as an FIA steward and has apologised. Derek will resume his duties as a steward in the forthcoming Austrian Grand Prix."

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It is the second time the FIA has been forced to take action against one of its stewards.

At the end of January, motorsport's governing body announced that Johnny Herbert would no longer continue as a steward, citing the fact that his "duties as an FIA steward and that of a media pundit were incompatible". It added that the decision was made "with regret".

Towards the end of last season, Herbert gave several interviews to betting websites, notably on high-profile decisions he was involved with in his role as a steward.

Herbert even found himself involved in a public spat with Jos Verstappen, father of Max, after the Mexico City Grand Prix in which penalties were handed down against the four-time F1 champion following incidents with McLaren's Lando Norris.

Jos Verstappen suggested bias on Herbert's part, and that "the FIA should take a good look at the staffing of the stewards, who they put there and whether there is no appearance of a conflict of interest".

Herbert naturally objected, but in doing so, criticised Verstappen's driving, describing it as "over the top", and that Verstappen had developed "a horrible mindset of trying to gain an advantage by taking a fellow driver off the race track".

The FIA eventually felt Herbert had overstepped the mark of impartiality as one of its stewards, and ultimately had to part ways.

Warwick's remarks were more considered, and the fact that he has apologised will have stood him in good stead.