FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has made a bizarre remark about the Formula 1 British Grand Prix during a fresh attack on the media’s treatment towards him.
Ben Sulayem, who has faced scrutiny following a series of high-profile departures from the organisation, has launched a damning take-down towards circles of the press.
Ben Sulayem has again conveyed the feeling that he had been demonised, following up the rant with a comment about Qatar Airways title sponsoring the British GP.
“Three years of critics against me. Do I care? Was I elected to listen to the media? No,” he said at the Dakar Rally,
“I like the good media, the positive media and maybe I make a mistake, and you can come and criticise me in an objective way.”
When asked about the media’s apparent treatment of him, Ben Sulayem added: “Unfair. But the world is unfair. Saudi Arabia has reinvested a lot.
“You look at some of the British media and they go against Saudi Arabia or me. But one thing I would say, go on and see the British Grand Prix.
“Is it the British Grand Prix? No, it is the Qatar Airways British Grand Prix. Please, you remove the budget, you remove the money.”
Ben Sulayem comments on latest episode in FIA saga
The president’s remarks make the latest in a string of incidents which has piled pressure and analysis on his tenure in the role, which he began in December 2021.
In 2024 alone, the sport’s governing body has seen the departure of a number of high-profile figures, including steward Tim Mayer, its Sporting and Technical Directors, Director of Communications and Secretary General of Mobility.
F1’s Race Director Niels Wittich also left the organisation, forcing the promotion of his Formula 2 counterpart Rui Marques into the role.
Marques was then forced to resume his duties in F2 and F3 alongside F1 after his replacement, Janette Tam, was fired before even taking charge of her first race.
As well as the push of new protocol to change its ethics complaints procedure – giving Ben Sulayem more power in overseeing such issues – there has been contention between the FIA and F1 drivers, sparked by the rewriting of the rules around swearing.
After reigning World Champion Max Verstappen was handed a one-day community service order for using the f-word in a press conference in Singapore, the Grand Prix Drivers Association issued a strongly-worded statement rebuking the ruling, asking Ben Sulayem to “consider his own tone and language,” after saying F1 drivers “are not rappers.”
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