The FIA has been absolved of any wrongdoing following an inquiry into allegations of meddling in the management of two events in the 2023 Formula 1 season. According to initial reports by the British publication BBC, President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was accused by a whistleblower of attempting to exert undue influence on F1 proceedings on two separate occasions. The first complaint pertained to last year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where Ben Sulayem was alleged to have instructed race officials to reverse a penalty that had been imposed on Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso. Aston Martin subsequently submitted a petition for review, which included video evidence of similar infractions committed by other teams without facing penalties. The second complaint concerned the inaugural Las Vegas GP, with allegations that Ben Sulayem had instructed against the homologation of the new track for racing. The FIA Compliance Department conducted an investigation into these claims, and the findings were subsequently reviewed by the FIA Ethics Committee. The Ethics Committee unanimously concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations of interference. The FIA described the investigation as comprehensive, independent, and lasting 30 days, during which 11 witnesses were interviewed. The Ethics Committee had access to strong evidence that unequivocally cleared Ben Sulayem of any wrongdoing. Ben Sulayem assumed the role of FIA president in December 2021, succeeding the long-serving Jean Todt on a four-year term.
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