According to a report from the BBC, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), is currently under investigation for potentially exerting influence on the outcome of a Formula One race. Paolo Basarri, the motorsport’s compliance officer, has presented his findings to the ethics committee, alleging that Ben Sulayem attempted to overturn a penalty imposed on Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin during the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The FIA has been approached for comments but is expected to refrain from making any statements on the matter due to the ongoing investigation being handled by the autonomous ethics committee. The controversy stems from allegations made by a whistleblower, who claims that Ben Sulayem contacted Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the FIA vice president for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and expressed his belief that Alonso’s penalty should be annulled. The penalty in question involved a ten-second time addition to Alonso’s race, which had initially demoted him from a podium position to fourth place. However, after Aston Martin’s sporting director appealed to the race stewards and the decision was reviewed, the penalty was revoked, allowing Alonso to reclaim his podium spot. At the time, there were no public suspicions of any wrongdoing regarding the removal of the penalty.
Oliver Bearman and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, both drivers for Prema in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, are highly regarded as future talents in Formula 1. The more experienced...
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