F1 journalist claims FIA chief's 'detrimental' behaviour could spark DRAMATIC breakaway

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem — Photo: © LAT Images

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F1 journalist claims FIA chief's 'detrimental' behaviour could spark DRAMATIC breakaway

Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s involvement with the sport could force Liberty Media to pull away from the FIA

Shay Rogers

Wednesday 6 December 2023 20:12 Updated: 19:50

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Liberty Media could decide to split F1 from the FIA as Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s continued involvement is considered to be ‘detrimental to the sport’, claims F1 journalist Andrew Benson.

A number of sources have apparently told Benson and the BBC that Liberty Media have 'viewed a series of incidents in recent months as having a direct link to Ben Sulayem'.

These are believed to include the reinvestigation of Lewis Hamilton’s track crossing incident at the Qatar Grand Prix and the summonsing of Fred Vasseur and Toto Wolff to the stewards for swearing in Abu Dhabi.

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Although Ben Sulayem's involvement was meant to be downscaled earlier this year, he remains involved with strategic matters and top-level decision-making.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been the president of the FIA for two years now

Both Toto and Susie Wolff have denied allegations of a conflict of interest

Tensions between F1 and the FIA

Several insiders reportedly told the BBC during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that, if Ben Sulayem continued to conduct himself in a way perceived as 'detrimental to the sport' by high-ranking officials, F1's owners, Liberty Media, may lose patience and contemplate a breakaway from the FIA.

Benson's report further claims that a similar move to split from the FIA ‘was already considered by F1' in 2022, before relations between the two parties were smoothed over.

Ben Sulayem's bold stance on the admission of further teams to Formula 1 as well as the potential sale of the sport’s commercial rights are thought to have further annoyed F1 bosses.

Both F1 and the FIA clashed again on Tuesday as the governing body opened an investigation relating to allegations of a conflict of interest between Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and his wife Susie Wolff, who is director of the F1 Academy.

F1 and Mercedes strongly denied the accusations and made their frustrations clear on how the FIA has dealt with the matter.