2024-03-05 04:07:02
The Formula 1 is preparing for a new weekend of activity in Saudi Arabia, where the second race of the 2024 calendar, as happened in the Bahrain Grand Prix, will be run on Saturday due to Ramadan. But the category was once once more in the eye of the storm for a new scandal. In a year in which it seems that the highest category of world motorsport left sports aside and the commotions take the center of attention, now at the center of the scene is Mohammed Ben Sulayempresident of the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
The 62-year-old Emirati is being investigated by a alleged intervention in the final result of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, in which Fernando Alonsopilot Aston Martin and two-time champion, reached his 100th podium thanks to which he was relieved of a penalty that had been imposed on him. This complaint appears in a report from an FIA compliance officer to its Ethics Committee, as published by BBC Sport.
Alonso had received a five-second penalty for incorrectly placing his car in the starting box. While he was serving that penalty during his first pit stop, the stewards of that race saw that one of the mechanics touched the car before the penalty time was up.
That is why the Aston Martin driver received another 10-second penalty at the end of the race, which made him fall from the podium and finish in fourth place, behind the British George Russell. Hours later, that 10-second penalty was revoked and Alonso returned to the podium.
“Sulayem wanted the stewards to annul the decision to impose the sanction on Alonso that made him lose the podium,” said the leader’s complainant.
“The president of the FIA called the sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifasports vice president of the International Automobile Federation for the Middle East and North Africa, who was in Saudi Arabia at that time to attend the race in an official capacity and made it clear that I thought that Alonso’s sanction should be revoked“said the complainant.
Both the FIA and F1 have not commented on the issue and it is expected that the Ethics Committee will take some time. between four and six weeks in issuing a report.
In addition, BBC Sport verified the information with several high-level figures in F1 and close to the FIA. None of them wanted to testify, but they all said they had the same information.
The report that BBC Sport claims to have seen is prepared by the Italian Paolo Basarri and says that a race commissioner, who is the complainant, reported on Ben Sulayem’s intervention. From the British media they maintain that the Italian word “pretendere”means demanding or waiting.
Fernando Alonso, lifting the third place trophy in Saudi Arabia 2023. Photo ReutersThis intervention in the decision of the outcome of the race would be the latest of the controversies and controversies that have surrounded Ben Sulayem since he was elected as the president of the FIA in 2021.
During the winter of 2022-23, he said he would step back from direct involvement in F1, stating his stated aim was “to be a non-executive chairman”.
In turn, the top leader of the FIA was at the center of criticism for misogynistic comments. On his old website, Sulayem stated that he doesn’t like women who think they’re smarter than men because “they really wouldn’t be.”
And his job was also in danger following an investigation into a possible conflict of interests between Mercedes team manager Toto Wolff and his wife Susie from the F1 Academy.
The other nine teams denied they had officially raised a conflict of interest, in a blow to the investigation, which was dissolved following just 48 hours.
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