What can F1 teach other sports?
One thing all sports fans share—whether it’s team sports, individual disciplines, or motorsport like Formula 1—is disagreement over the decisions of officials. Very often, after a match or a race, judges become the target of criticism for decisions that may be right or wrong. But what frustrates fans the most is the lack of consistency in judgment.
One incident, from one match or race to another, can be judged differently, and this can even happen within the same event. Yellow cards, red cards, penalties awarded or denied, 5- or 10-second penalties for cases that seem similar but are sanctioned inconsistently—all of these fuel frustration among spectators.
Fabio Capello indirectly cites F1
In a candid interview with the Spanish sports daily Marca, the well-known former football coach Fabio Capello, famous for managing some of the most prestigious clubs and national teams, criticized referees: “The use of VAR is something that really makes me angry. Referees don’t want to use former players for VAR, players who know the details of football, the movements a player makes to stop or help themselves… And very often they make the wrong decisions because they haven’t played and don’t understand those movements.”
At a specific point in his statements, Capello emphasizes that referees are reluctant to include former players in the VAR room to provide insight on incidents occurring on the field. A player has first-hand experience and understands dynamics that go far beyond the written rules, which referees tend to follow in a perhaps overly rigid manner.
The role of ex-drivers in the steward room
Although Formula 1, or motorsport in general, may seem like a closed environment from an “official” perspective, the reality is very different from other sports. Incidents on track are judged by four stewards: two appointed by the FIA, a representative from the national sporting federation of the host country, and, “surprisingly,” a former driver.
These are usually drivers with experience in F1 or other categories. Not all have had great success in the top tier, but the list includes names like Emanuele Pirro, winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Vitantonio Liuzzi. Naturally, whether or not a former driver is present, every decision will continue to spark debate, but the drivers on track know that a former colleague can offer insight from a driver’s perspective, rather than a bureaucrat rigidly applying the rules.
An example other sports could follow
It is uncertain whether such a model could be applied to football. Every former player would need to demonstrate impartiality, avoiding favoritism for any team. This is a complex challenge, especially given the insularity of football refereeing, but it could bring greater transparency to decisions in a contact sport like football.
Controversy would not disappear entirely, but at least in the VAR room there would be someone who understands the game as it is played, not just as it is written in a rulebook that sometimes fails to capture the full dynamics of such a complex sport.
The debate over officiating remains one of the most contentious aspects of modern sport, but Formula 1’s integration of “driver stewards” offers a compelling blueprint for progress. By valuing lived experience alongside technical knowledge, the FIA has created a bridge between the regulators and the competitors that other sports, notably football with its VAR struggles, have yet to build. While no system can achieve total perfection, moving toward a model that prioritizes the “feel” of the game over cold, bureaucratic interpretation would be a significant victory for sporting integrity and fan satisfaction alike.
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