2024-03-04 18:04:00
(Motorsport-Total.com) – Formula 1 is not calming down. Following the allegations once morest Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem is now apparently also being investigated in another case.
Mohammed bin Sulayem at the Formula 1 season opener this weekend
A report from the BBC According to this, it is regarding Sulayem’s alleged interference in a Formula 1 race, more precisely in the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The FIA President allegedly intervened to impose a penalty on Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin (more on this here ) to tilt.
The Spaniard had finished the race in third place, but received a ten-second penalty for not correctly serving a previous five-second penalty during the race. However, this was revised a few hours later following an appeal from his team and Alonso received his podium back.
Did FIA President Sulyaem intervene?
But now a report from the FIA’s compliance officer, who… BBC Sport present, sheds new light on the case. Accordingly, an informant informed the world association that Sulayem had personally campaigned for the punishment once morest Alonso to be reversed.
The FIA President even spoke on the phone with Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. He acts as FIA Vice President for Sport in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Sulayem made it clear to him that he was of the opinion that the punishment for Alonso should be withdrawn. In the report by compliance officer Paolo Basarri, the Italian word “pretendere”, which means to demand or expect, is also used in this context.
The FIA Ethics Committee is investigating the case
Whether and to what extent the FIA President actually influences the decision of the race stewards must now be examined. The FIA Ethics Committee is now dealing with the case. Your report is expected in four to six weeks.
Several high-ranking figures from Formula 1 and the FIA wanted to express themselves to the BBC did not comment further, but confirmed the information.
FIA penalty explained: That’s why Alonso got P3 back!
We explain which rules the FIA stewards referred to, how the chaos came regarding and what needs to be done in the future. to the video section
The stewards had withdrawn the penalty once morest Alonso at the time because it was not clear whether using the jack in the pits during a time penalty already meant that work was being done on the car (which is prohibited).
Although this issue was discussed with the teams at an earlier meeting of the Sporting Advisory Committee, no firm agreement was reached on it.
The basis on which the commissioners issued their sentence was therefore invalid, which is why they withdrew it. Only subsequently was a sentence added to the penal article in the regulations, which defines “all touching of the car or the driver with the hand or with tools or devices as work”.
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