Former F1 star quit FIA steward role after TV backlash over Lewis Hamilton penalty

Former F1 driver Heinz Harald Frentzen has revealed that backlash from the 2010 European Grand Prix in Valencia contributed to his decision to leave his FIA steward role. After Lewis Hamilton received a drive-through penalty for overtaking the safety car following Mark Webber's crash, TV cameras focused on Frentzen in the stewards' room, making him the target of angry Spanish fans who believed he alone was responsible for the lenient punishment. Frentzen shared the story in response to a recent FIA statement condemning online abuse of stewards following penalties issued at the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix.