Derek Warwick, a former driver and senior steward in Formula 1, has been suspended from his role as a steward at the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend. Warwick, who won the Le Mans 24 Hours and is a former president of the British Racing Drivers' Club, is one of the most experienced driver stewards in F1.

Former F1 drivers are always part of the four stewards officiating at each grand prix. Warwick recently made comments about a penalty given to Max Verstappen at the Spanish Grand Prix, where the Red Bull driver collided with George Russell from Mercedes. Warwick stated that the penalty was justified, as Verstappen's actions were incorrect and deserved punishment.

Warwick is the second driver steward to face consequences from the FIA for discussing races in the last six months. In January, Johnny Herbert was removed from his steward role by the FIA due to conflicts between his duties as a steward and his media punditry.

The FIA's decision to suspend Warwick followed the approval of controversial statute changes by the organisation's general assembly. Critics argue that these changes could harm the FIA's reputation for transparent governance under president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Ben Sulayem's tenure since 2021 has been marred by various controversies, particularly related to accountability, governance, and the expansion of his own authority while reducing oversight.

Despite concerns about steward decisions during grand prix events, the FIA refrains from commenting, citing the independence of stewards from the FIA.