Mohammed Bin Sulayem, the President of the FIA, is facing scrutiny from the regulatory body itself over allegations of manipulating the result of a Formula 1 race. The incident in question occurred during the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where Fernando Alonso initially received a 10-second penalty for his pit crew stopping his car while serving a 5-second penalty. However, Aston Martin’s protest with video evidence led to the decision being overturned. A whistleblower has now come forward, claiming that Ben Sulayem tried to influence the outcome by contacting Abdullah bin Isa Al Khalifa, the FIA Vice President for Sport (Middle East) and President of the Bahrain Motorsport Federation, to pressure the stewards to reverse their decision.
According to a report from an FIA compliance officer, Ben Sulayem allegedly misled the stewards into believing they should reverse their decision. This is not the first time Ben Sulayem has clashed with the world of Formula 1. His support for Andretti’s failed attempt to enter the sport caused controversy among the 10 teams and the Formula 1 Management (FOM). Additionally, his governance of the FIA has resulted in disagreements with the FOM over the upcoming F1 Concorde Agreement, as both parties vie for greater financial power.
In addition to the allegations surrounding the race result, a second complaint was made against Ben Sulayem, suggesting a violation of the FIA’s governance rules. The FIA is classified as a non-profit organization under the French “Association Loi” of 1901, which allows certain levels of expenses. However, it is alleged that Ben Sulayem may have exceeded these limits through his use of a private jet and other forms of transportation. If proven, this could potentially expose the FIA to taxation or other legal consequences by the French authorities.
