Mosley to look for backseat drivers

Max Mosley, president of the FIA, can expect a grilling from the formula one paddock at Imola's Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari this morning over what many feel is the questionable judgment of the governing body's official stewards at recent grands prix.

In an attempt to address the issues raised by recent inconsistencies, pressure has been growing for retired formula one drivers to join the panel of judges, to provide an expert insight into the causes of collisions and other incidents.

"I would say that, whoever they pick, this is a very responsible job and we have to strive to make things look absolutely as professional as possible," said the veteran driver Eddie Irvine, now in the Jaguar team. "If we are going down this route, I think the stewards collectively need to look at dozens of video replays of various racing incidents to get a feel of how some of these accidents are caused."

FIA officials were criticised by Juan Pablo Montoya for their inconsistent penalties in the Malaysian and Brazilian grands prix after his two collisions with Michael Schumacher. He complained that while he was given a "drive through" penalty in Malaysia after Schumacher's Ferrari hit his car, the world champion escaped unpenalised after knocking off the nose of his Williams in a first-lap collision in Sao Paulo a fortnight ago.

Yet there is unspoken feeling among some drivers that the FIA needs to make more effort to display its impartiality in public and that anyone speaking out in criticism of the governing body risks being penalised.

Others counter that there will always be an element of dissent from competitors who feel they have a grievance, in the same way as a footballer's indignation erupts when he receives a yellow card.

FIA insiders believe the stewards' role is often a thankless task and provides an easy target for critics within the sport. "I think the idea of having a driver as a member of the stewards' panel could be positive, providing he has the right attitude and takes it seriously," said Niki Lauda, the Jaguar team principal who as a driver won three world championships and 25 grands prix between 1974 and 1985.

"But I don't think the driver should take the actual decision if such a system was introduced. I think he should simply sit with the stewards and offer his own perspective based on his experience."

BMW's motorsport director Gerhard Berger, winner of 10 grands prix, agreed that it was a good idea in principle but that finding the right retired driver would not be easy. "It's a bit like commentators," he said. "Several retired drivers have made a career in TV commentating. Some are terrific, but some are not so good. Sorting out who would be good in a stewarding role would be a big challenge."

Mosley is understood to be a firm supporter of the current system in which three stewards, all senior members of various national automobile clubs throughout the world, are appointed on a rota basis.

Yet there is no doubt that there have been serious stewarding inconsistencies in recent years. In 1998 the FIA suspended India's Nasir Hoosein for his role as a steward after the bungled application of the penalty rules in the British grand prix saw Michael Schumacher come in for a 10sec stop-go penalty after taking the chequered flag and winning the race.

More seriously, after last year's United States grand prix, Jarno Trulli's Jordan was excluded from fourth place despite a highly irregular stewards' meeting at which only two of the required three stewards were present.

When the official bulletin announcing Trulli's disqualification was published, it had also been signed by the absent third steward, Canada's Roger Peart. The FIA court of appeal subsequently reinstated Trulli after conceding that this had been a procedural error.

There is one major complication which may stand in the way even if the governing body supports the move. Stewards get expenses but no payment. Doing something for nothing is not a concept widely understood among formula one drivers.

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