Mohammed Bin Sulayem, the President of the FIA, is facing scrutiny from the governing body itself over allegations of tampering with the outcome 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 touching his car while serving a five-second penalty. However, Aston Martin’s protest with supporting video evidence led to the overturning of the decision. A whistleblower has now come forward, claiming that Ben Sulayem attempted to influence the outcome by contacting Abdullah bin Isa Al Khalifa, the FIA Vice-President for Sport (Middle East) and President of the Bahrain Motor Federation, to pressure the stewards into reversing their decision.
According to a report by an FIA compliance officer, Ben Sulayem allegedly pretended to the stewards that they should overturn their decision. This is not the first time that Ben Sulayem has clashed with the world of Formula 1. His support for Andretti’s unsuccessful bid to enter the sport caused controversy among the 10 teams and Formula One Management (FOM). Furthermore, his governance of the FIA has resulted in disagreements with 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 has been made against Ben Sulayem, suggesting a violation of the FIA’s governing rules. The FIA is classified as a non-profit organization under the French “Association Loi” of 1901, which allows for certain levels of expenses. However, it is claimed that Ben Sulayem may have exceeded these limits through his use of a private jet and other forms of transportation. If proven true, this could potentially expose the FIA to taxation or other legal consequences from the French authorities.