Gunther Steiner is summoned by stewards after criticising Nico Hulkenberg penalty

Guenther Steiner is summoned by stewards after criticising the five-second penalty handed out to Nico Hulkenberg in Monaco… with the FIA becoming increasingly annoyed at the outspoken Haas team principal

  • Haas’ Guenther Steiner hit out after Nico Hulkenberg was penalised in Monaco 
  • The outspoken team principal had labelled the decision as ‘completely wrong’
  • Steiner also described the officials as ‘laymen’, infuriating the FIA in the process 

Guenther Steiner, Haas’ outspoken team principal, has been called to the stewards to answer a charge of bringing the sport into disrepute.

The summons in the Barcelona paddock today follows criticism he made of the panel adjudicating in Monaco last week. He described the officials as ‘laymen’, the word that has most rankled the FIA.

Steiner was responding to the five-second penalty handed to Nico Hulkenberg for his move on Williams’ Logan Sargeant on the opening lap, a sanction he called ‘completely wrong’.

He also demanded an overhaul of the FIA’s current model, which sees four stewards from a rotating pool referee each grand prix. At least one member of the quartet must be a former driver who has raced at a competitive level.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s race in Spain, Steiner said: ‘Every professional sport has professional referees.

Gunther Steiner, Haas’ outspoken team principal, has been called to the stewards to answer a charge of bringing the sport into disrepute

Steiner hit out after Nico Hulkenberg was penalised in Monaco, calling the decisions 'completely wrong', while he also described the officials as 'laymen', infuriating the FIA

Steiner hit out after Nico Hulkenberg was penalised in Monaco, calling the decisions ‘completely wrong’, while he also described the officials as ‘laymen’, infuriating the FIA

‘F1 is one of the biggest sports in the world and we still have laymen deciding on the fate of people that invest millions in their careers.

‘There is no consistency. We need to step it up.’

As chairman of this weekend’s stewards, Australian Garry Connelly will lead the investigation to determine whether Steiner, the 58-year-old star of Netflix’s Drive to Survive series, will be punished or not. Former British F1 driver Derek Warwick is also on the panel.

Mail Sport understands the FIA have grown annoyed over time by what they perceive to be Haas’ questioning of decisions outside official channels.

Steiner is due to report at 1.30pm BST.

Mail Sport understands the FIA have grown annoyed over time by what they perceive to be Haas¿ questioning of decisions outside official channels

Mail Sport understands the FIA have grown annoyed over time by what they perceive to be Haas’ questioning of decisions outside official channels

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