Just hours before the high-stakes Canadian Grand Prix, the FIA has made headlines by officially issuing a warning to George Russell — and suspending race steward Derek Warwick over “unauthorised comments” relating to the Verstappen-Russell collision in Spain.
The Mercedes driver was summoned to the stewards following an incident in Free Practice 2 at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Russell had topped the timing charts with a blistering 1:12.123 lap but was later investigated for failing to follow specific instructions laid out by the Race Director concerning the escape road procedure at Turn 14.
After examining the evidence and speaking with Russell, the FIA announced a formal warning for non-compliance. But the bigger news came moments later when the FIA also confirmed that long-serving steward Derek Warwick was suspended from duties this weekend due to media comments made without authorization.
Warwick had reportedly defended the FIA’s 10-second penalty for Max Verstappen’s controversial contact with Russell during the Spanish Grand Prix, calling it “the right call” — a move seen as violating FIA’s media protocols.
Reacting to the developments in Montreal, Max Verstappen didn’t hold back:
“I think it’s right that everyone involved in the decision-making process stays neutral and avoids speaking to the press in that way. The penalty in Spain is behind us — I took it and moved on,” Verstappen told Sky Sports F1.
“As for Russell’s warning today, the rules are there for everyone. If I had done the same, I’m pretty sure it would’ve been a bigger penalty. So yes, consistency matters.”
The suspension of Warwick comes amid growing scrutiny of how the FIA handles high-profile on-track incidents. Verstappen, still sitting on 11 super license penalty points and facing the threat of a one-race ban, added:
“There’s a lot of talk around penalties these days. I just hope we can focus on racing again — that’s what fans want, and that’s what we’re here to do.”
The Canadian GP weekend continues under heightened tension, with both Verstappen and Russell under the spotlight and the FIA under pressure to maintain fairness and transparency amid rising controversies.
