F1
Ben Sulayem under investigation for 'alleged interference' during 2023 Saudi GP
Ben Sulayem in the middle of a new controversy? © Xavi Bonilla / DPPI
The world of Formula 1 could he be shaken by a new affair? This Monday, the British media BBC has revealed that Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) is under investigation for allegedly interfering in the outcome of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The Emirati leader is accused of having personally intervened to cancel a penalty imposed on Fernando Alonso. At the time, the Spaniard received a first penalty of five seconds for having incorrectly positioned his car on the starting grid. This first penalty was served during his first pit stop, but the double champion then received a second penalty of 10 seconds after the finish because the commissioners judged thatAston Martin had touched the car when the first penalty was applied, which is prohibited.
If he had crossed the finish line in 3rd position, the double world champion had finally fallen to 4th place with this second penalty. Finally, several hours later, the second penalty was canceled and the double world champion was able to be credited with the podium again.
Yet another controversy for Ben Sulayem
Ben Sulayem is accused of calling Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, FIA vice-president for motorsport in the Middle East and North Africa and who was attending the 2023 Saudi GP in an official capacity , making it clear to him that he thought Alonso's penalty should be overturned. An interference that is completely prohibited and which raises many suspicions, since the main sponsor of Aston Martin (and of Formula 1) is none other than Aramco, the largest oil company in Saudi Arabia...
According to Reuters, an FIA spokesperson, asked for comment on the report, could not confirm any details, but said that “the issue is the subject of internal discussions”. The BBC, for its part, indicates that it has taken note of a report from the FIA's head of compliance, Paolo Basarri, to the ethics committee, in which a whistleblower claims that the president intervened to cancel the penalty imposed on the Aston Martin driver. The ethics committee is expected to take four to six weeks to publish its final report on this investigation.
This umpteenth investigation adds to the long list of controversies surrounding Mohammed Ben Sulayem since he took office as president of the FIA at the end of 2021. The most recent of them is that of the aborted investigation into the couple Toto and Susie Wolff, in December 2023.
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Dorian Grangier
A young journalist nostalgic for the motorsport of yesteryear. Raised on the exploits of Sébastien Loeb and Fernando Alonso.
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SYLVAIN DUCREUX
05/03/2024 at 12:04 a.m.
First year since 1995 that I haven't watched the 1st GP at the start of the season...and I'm enjoying it well, perhaps because it's no longer a sport but a show with more and more intrigue behind the scenes. Whether the information is true or false, clearly power and dollars do not mix…or it is the opposite.
Yves-Henri RANDIER
05/03/2024 at 11:49 a.m.
Nice behind the scenes of F1 between the pseudo investigation into the WOLFF, the refusal to accept the candidacy of Andretti Cadillac, the Hornergate and now the alleged interference of MBS in the 2023 Saudi Arabian GP created at the price of petro- bloody dollars by the other MBS, you know, the Saudi who does sportwashing with all his might! All this does not grow F1 which only runs after dollars
dedeHJ37
05/03/2024 at 02:53 a.m.
F1 is chasing dollars and also to its loss, since liberty media took control only the bling-bling and the dollars count, let's hope they don't brake at the sign too late! Fortunately the WEC is growing and promises us a great season, as for the WRC: meh!
Eric Stevens
05/03/2024 at 10:37 a.m.
It's lamentable but when you sell your stuff to the highest bidder and to those whose mentality is what it is (!) we shouldn't be surprised. globalization and the shuffling of the cards of world domination only have drawbacks! but we must respect cultural differences... blah blah blah and in one sense only!