--- title: "F1 Steward’s McLaren Ties in Spotlight After Verstappen Penalty" date: "2024-10-28" modified: "2024-10-28" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/f1-stewards-mclaren-ties-in-spotlight-after-verstappen-penalty" categories: - "F1" - "News" - "Racing" --- # F1 Steward’s McLaren Ties in Spotlight After Verstappen Penalty ![Image of Max Verstappen's F1 car on track with the text "as the son of McLaren founder..." superimposed]() *\Getty Images, The Drive\* Yesterday's [Formula 1]() Mexico City Grand Prix delivered plenty of action from when the lights went out until the checkered flag fell, but not everyone walked away content with the outcome—especially not Red Bull Racing. Hometown hero Checo Perez had another miserable race while championship leader Max Verstappen was handed two 10-second penalties (and two penalty points) for his encounter with McLaren's [Lando Norris]() in the contest's early stages. Whether you believe the FIA's punishment was fair or not, there's been a lot of noise on social media about a possible conflict of interest with one of the stewards. Specifically, folks on [X]() and [Instagram]() have highlighted the FIA's official [document]() listing Tim Mayer as one of the four officials involved in deciding Verstappen's penalties. The others are former F1 racer Johnny Herbert; lawyer and F1/F3 steward Loïc Bacquelaine; and national steward Alfonso Oros Trigueros. It's Mayer who is being singled out for his ties to McLaren. See his bio on the [official FIA website](): ![]() **FIA** Of course, it's the "son of former McLaren founder Teddy Mayer" bit that [some folks are angry about](). Mayer and the rest of the officials were involved with all the other penalties and decisions made throughout the Mexico City GP, and this isn't their first rodeo either. To think that this is the first and only time this alleged conflict of interest has happened is silly. However, F1 is a highly politicized sport, and while I believe that Verstappen's penalties were well deserved and the stewards acted with the utmost professionalism, I can also see that the optics of this aren't ideal. It's easy to get sucked into the many storylines surrounding the two drivers, especially when Verstappen and Norris entered the Mexican race with a hefty trail of drama behind them. [Their clash in Austin](), and the ruling by those stewards, certainly set up a perfect storm for Red Bull and McLaren fans. Then you see this Mayer stuff, and it's natural to get carried away. McLaren ties or not, Verstappen was fairly punished for his two questionable moves according to the rulebook—the same as other drivers, and the same as Norris in the previous race. As U.S. Editor of *[PlanetF1]()* and F1 contributor to *The Drive* Elizabeth Blackstock put it, nearly everyone in motorsport has ties to a team, driver, manufacturer, etc. "F1 is a sport where everybody knows everybody or is related to everybody," Blackstock told *The Drive*. "No steward is totally free from 'bias' if you go digging. Derek Warwick was a steward last weekend \[in Austin\], and he has plenty of Honda dealerships, and folks were trying to make a big deal about that!" *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()