In a recent interview, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has voiced frustration over the governing body’s lack of recognition, despite the soaring global popularity of Formula 1. As F1 experiences an unprecedented boom in viewership and commercial success, largely attributed to Liberty Media‘s aggressive expansion strategies, Ben Sulayem believes the FIA’s crucial role has been consistently overlooked.
While Liberty Media has garnered praise for its efforts to push the sport into new markets and boost its fanbase, the relationship between the sport’s governing body, the FIA, and the commercial rights holder has often been fraught. From disagreements over new teams like Andretti’s F1 bid to ongoing jurisdictional disputes, tensions have simmered beneath F1’s surface.
Speaking to Autosport, Ben Sulayem lamented that despite the FIA being at the heart of F1’s regulations and governance, it doesn’t receive due credit for its contributions. He bluntly stated, “No, we will never get the credit. Impossible.”
“Everyone Makes Money Except the FIA”
Ben Sulayem pointed out that while others in the sport profit from Formula 1’s booming success, the FIA is left out. “When you look at it, everybody made money out of the FIA, everyone except the FIA. Everyone gets the credit, except the FIA,” he stated.
The FIA President also took issue with Liberty Media’s financial control over the sport. He expressed his desire for a more balanced financial partnership between the commercial rights holder and the FIA:
“When I took over, we had a running operating cost of minus 20 million,” Ben Sulayem explained, suggesting that while promoters and teams thrived financially, the FIA’s income streams remained restricted. “Liberty Media did a great job in transforming Formula 1. But I would just make sure that the FIA is two equals with them.”
Despite his frustration, Ben Sulayem acknowledged Liberty Media’s vital role in F1’s transformation and praised their promotional abilities: “If you ask me today: is there anyone who is capable as much as them? I can see that [there isn’t]. I support them in what they are doing.”
FIA’s Governance Role Overlooked
As F1 continues to grow in prominence, Ben Sulayem emphasized the FIA’s regulatory importance, asserting that the organization remains essential to the sport’s governance. “The regulations and the governance is the [work of the] FIA. And then, let everyone make money,” he remarked.
While drivers, team principals, and stakeholders benefit from the sport’s success, the FIA remains in the background. According to Ben Sulayem, no matter how well the governing body executes its responsibilities, it will continue to face criticism without recognition.
“But the FIA will never get the credit. Impossible.”
The FIA President’s candid remarks come amid a period of intense scrutiny and debate over the balance of power and financial rewards within Formula 1, underscoring a growing rift between the sport’s commercial and regulatory bodies.
Conclusion
As Formula 1 heads into an era of unprecedented global expansion, Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s remarks highlight ongoing concerns over the FIA’s role and recognition. While Liberty Media enjoys widespread praise for its commercial success, the FIA’s contributions to maintaining the sport’s integrity and safety continue to go unnoticed. The question remains whether this disconnect will impact F1’s governance moving forward.
