The head of the FIA allegedly gave orders to his team to hold back the approval for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the Las Vegas Grand Prix (images via IMAGO).
Formula 1 has been experiencing a period of disputes. The president of the FIA has been accused of two serious actions. Firstly, the Emirati was alleged to have interfered with the outcome of an F1 race last season. Furthermore, the 62-year-old was even accused of attempting to prevent the certification of the . Now, Ben Sulayem has finally commented on the latter.
A whistleblower had claimed that wanted the governing body of the sport to not authorize the Las Vegas GP circuit. It was alleged that the FIA President wanted to create artificial problems if necessary to ensure that the race did not take place.
The 62-year-old emphasized that he has the authority to authorize tracks as the FIA President. Mohammed Ben Sulayem claimed that he supported F1’s efforts. The Emirati believed that he could have refused as the track was not ready in time for inspection.
However, Ben Sulayem claimed that as soon as he was informed that the track was indeed safe, he was willing to grant certification. The Emirati mentioned that as a racing driver himself, it was important for him that the circuit was safe not only for the drivers. Moreover, the 62-year-old even emphasized the importance of safety for everyone in the paddock.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix arguably was the most significant race in recent years for the sport. F1 and Liberty Media took charge as promoters for the race to generate substantial revenue from Sin City. The sport spent over half a billion dollars to create a grand spectacle for the world in Las Vegas.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem mentioned that if he had chosen not to authorize the track, it would have caused significant harm to Formula 1. However, the FIA President highlighted that it would have been legal nonetheless as he was the one in charge. Although, the 62-year-old claimed that F1 and the FIA were in the same situation and as such, neither party could allow this situation to worsen.
The head of the FIA will be questioned by the Ethics Committee of the governing body of the sport soon. However, no other information on this case has been made public. It will be interesting to see how things unfold for the 62-year-old as controversies continue to surround his leadership.