Warwick criticised several current drivers, including Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, and Yuki Tsunoda, with the FIA responding by removing the 70-year-old from his stewarding duties for the Montreal race.

“Following recent unauthorised media comments, the FIA has taken the decision to suspend Derek Warwick from his duties as driver steward for this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix,” the FIA said in a statement.

“He will be replaced by Enrique Bernoldi, who will be officiating from the Remote Operations Centre in Geneva for the remainder of the event.

“After discussion, Derek acknowledges that his comments were ill-advised in his role as an FIA steward and has apologised. Derek will resume his duties as a steward in the forthcoming Austrian Grand Prix.”

Warwick’s comments to the gambling firm came after the Spanish Grand Prix, where he weighed in on several drivers, including Verstappen and the penalty he received after his incident with George Russell.

“Should he have done what he did, in Turn 5 with George Russell? Absolutely not. Did he get a penalty for it? Yes,” Warwick said.

“I’m not condoning it, I’m not saying it’s right, it’s absolutely wrong, and the FIA quite rightly gave him a penalty.

“I think they got it about right actually. I think a lot of people would say he should have got a ban as an example to young karters – and they are probably right, but I feel the penalty was spot on.

“You’ve got to look at each individual incident on their own merit. I thought it was very questionable. It’s not what I like to see.”

Warwick also suggested that Hamilton might be considering retirement after his early struggles with Ferrari, and insisted that Tsunoda was a “disaster” for Red Bull.

This is the second time a race steward has been removed this season, following Johnny Herbert’s dismissal earlier in the year after the FIA ruled his dual role as a steward and media pundit was “incompatible.”

Warwick competed in 162 grands prix between 1981 and 1993, scoring 71 points and four podiums.</p