Formula 1 is threatened with a new scandal. A whistleblower incriminates FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. sport.de expert and F1 insider Felix Görner classifies the alleged scandal.
While the Christian Horner case is already keeping Formula 1 in suspense, FIA boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem now apparently also has to face internal investigations. On Monday evening, the “BBC” reported that the 62-year-old was accused of illegally interfering in a race result. The ethics committee of the world association has taken on the case.
For Formula 1 expert Felix Görner, the allegations are under the heading “Keep your hands off the sport!” This motto also applies to the FIA President – if the evidence and indications are confirmed. “It must be clarified and worked through whether an instruction to the race stewards was given.”
Serious allegations against FIA President
According to the BBC, the whistleblower described that the FIA President Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamas bin Isa Al Khalifa was said to have called. He was an official at the 2023 Formula 1 race in Saudi Arabia. Ben Sulayem is said to have called for a subsequent 10-second penalty against Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) to be lifted.
The case could have serious consequences for Ben Sulayem.
“If it happened, he has to resign. Then it was a border crossing. That is not at all within the discretion and directive of the FIA President,” explains Görner. “That is the decision of the race stewards.”
The F1 reporter draws a football comparison. “That would be like the DFB president instructing the referees to take back a penalty.”
For the F1 expert, one thing is certain: “The whole thing wouldn’t just be in good taste. It would be a clear violation of the rules that would cast a dark light on the FIA if it came true.”
Position of power has been exploited many times
However, the long-time RTL expert would not be surprised by this. According to Görner, the FIA President’s position of power has often been exploited, for example in the times of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost.
The FIA boss’s job is “to be non-partisan, to represent, to have a global lens and to serve the good of the sport.” An FIA president is not allowed to get involved in operations. “If this is then combined with regional sympathies, it becomes even more dubious.”
Görner hopes that the ethics committee’s investigation will create transparency. Results are expected in four to six weeks.
A big problem in the matter was the regulations. It is bad that the rule at issue in this specific case was “diffusely drafted”.
F1 veteran Alonso received a ten-second penalty after the race in Saudi Arabia because the team was said to have worked on the Aston Martin car during a previous five-second penalty.
The rule should have been clearer, says Görner. Does it count as “working on the car” when the jack is put on the car, or only when it is put into operation?
“That wasn’t clear at the time, and the race stewards were also a bit overwhelmed. They’ve now readjusted things. So you can see again: rules have to be clear and unambiguous so that dubious influence has no chance.”