'I know who is attacking me' - FIA president takes stunning swipe at F1

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'I know who is attacking me' - FIA president takes stunning swipe at F1

The FIA boss claims F1's governing body is 'going nowhere'

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 9 January 2024 17:57

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has said that 'the day we wake up without the FIA will never come', as tensions between the sport's governing body and Formula 1 Management continue to boil over.

Earlier this week, the organisation lost another of their high-profile figures, as single-seater technical director Tim Goss decided to step down from his role.

This followed the departures of both Steve Nielsen and Deborah Mayer since the end of the 2023 F1 season, leaving the FIA suffering somewhat of a mass exodus.

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In addition to this, there is an alleged ongoing power struggle in the sport between the FIA and Liberty Media, who are the current owners of F1.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem is the president of the body which governs Formula 1

Steve Nielsen recently quit his role as sporting director at the FIA

Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Stefano Domenicali are two of the most influential men in Formula 1

FIA's torrid two months

Now, Ben Sulayem appears to have come out all guns blazing in order to defend his role, and that of the overall FIA.

The 62-year-old was recently given hospital care after falling ill, around the same time in which the governing body was being criticised for the way in which they handled the Wolffs' alleged conflict of interest story.

“I know who is attacking me. And they think I don't know that," the FIA president told Motorsport Magazin.

"Do you really think I would be in this position if I was only surrounded by stupid people? Of course not, my team is very smart. The paddock is a small living environment, everyone knows everyone.

"I always know when someone leaks something about me or makes something up about me. And what do I do then? I smile at them. I always know who did it and I smile at them.

“I'll just say one thing, and I'll say it loud and clear: the day we wake up without the FIA will never come. That sets us apart from the rest. Liberty has every right to sell Formula 1. A different reality could immediately arise in which Formula 1 is not theirs.

FIA Mohammed Ben Sulayem Stefano Domenicali Liberty Media Steve Nielsen Tim Goss