The Stewards, who admitted to their mistakes, handed in their licences to the FIA at the extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on July 29. The licences have been taken back for an ‘‘unlimited period.

Incidentally, Mumbai-based Hoosein is a vice-president of the FIA. The two other Stewards were: Roger Peart and Howard Lapsley.

The Stewards docked two-time World champion Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) a 10-second stop-go penalty for supposedly passing the Benetton of Alexander Wurz under a yellow flag caution in the latter part of the rain-marred race in which the Safety Car made its appearance on the track on several occasions.

The event ended controversially as race leader Schumacher drove his Ferrari into the pits in the last lapto take the 10-second stop-go penalty. Since the Ferrari garage was located beyond the start-finish line that ran across the pit lane, Schumacher was declared winner though the German ace did not cross the finish line on the main race track.

The McLaren-Mercedes team, whose lead driver Mika Hakkinen came in second, appealed against the decision. But the result was upheld as the ‘‘benefit of doubt was given to Schumacher, at a separate hearing.

The Stewards, the Council ruled, committed three major mistakes:

1. They treated the information (Schumacher's passing) from the Race Director Charlie Whiting as a ‘‘formal report, when they were only orally informed of it;

2. They failed to note the time and lap of the alleged incident, as a result of which, they notified the penalty well after the permitted time (within 25 minutes of the incident);

3. They failed to communicate the decision to the Race Director (RD) and, as such, it was not displayed on the TV monitors, as required by the F-1regulations.

As regards the first error, the regulations provide for Stewards to act only on a written report from the RD. It was said that the RD was unsure of the offence in view of the poor visibility and hence he only orally informed the Stewards.

The Stewards went on to add 10 seconds to Schumacher's overall timing, but the penalty was subsequently declared "null and void".

Some Councillors felt that the controversy could have been avoided had the Stewards followed the regulations and not acted on their own accord.

However, FIA president Max Mosely defended the Stewards at Silverstone, saying that they were working under ‘‘extreme pressure and weather conditions. The Council has allowed the Stewards to reapply for their licenses.