FIA president Ben Sulayem cleared of alleged interference after investigation

Allegations and investigation

In a recent development, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem faced allegations of interference in two separate incidents during the 2023 Formula 1 season.

The FIA's Compliance Department launched an investigation into these claims, which were brought forth by a whistleblower.

The first allegation suggested that Ben Sulayem had interfered with the stewards' decision to reverse a penalty handed down to Fernando Alonso at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

The second incident occurred at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where it was alleged that Ben Sulayem pushed for the FIA to withhold track certification for F1's newest venue.

Findings and exoneration

After a thorough 30-day investigation, which included interviews with 11 witnesses, the FIA Compliance Officer and its six-person Ethics Committee unanimously concluded that there was no evidence to substantiate the allegations against Ben Sulayem.

In a statement released by the FIA, it was stated:

"After reviewing the results of the inquiries, the Ethics Committee were unanimous in their determination that there was no evidence to substantiate allegations of interference of any kind involving the FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem."

The statement further added,

"Allegations against the FIA President were unsubstantiated, and strong evidence beyond any reasonable doubt was presented to support the determination of the FIA Ethics Committee."

Cooperation and transparency

The FIA commended Ben Sulayem's complete cooperation, transparency, and compliance throughout the investigation process.

The statement emphasized,

"The President's complete co-operation, transparency, and compliance throughout the process during this investigation was greatly appreciated."

Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas incidents

Regarding the Saudi Arabia incident, it was alleged that Ben Sulayem had contacted Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamas bin Isa Al Khalifa, the FIA's vice-president for sport for the Middle East and North Africa region, in an attempt to overturn Alonso's penalty.

As for the Las Vegas Grand Prix situation, Ben Sulayem had previously acknowledged that the approval for the track's certification was his responsibility.

He stated that if he had wanted to prevent the track from obtaining certification, he had the authority to do so.

In an interview with GP Racing magazine, Ben Sulayem explained,

"The president of the FIA is the one who signs the homologation for the new track, or for all the tracks. I supported it.

I could have said no, [because it wasn't ready in time for inspection].

But as soon as my team said it was safe... because I'm a driver, I care about the wellbeing of the drivers and the people around them, our staff and the marshals. I did it."

With the investigation concluding and Ben Sulayem being cleared of any wrongdoing, the FIA can now move forward, focusing on the upcoming Formula 1 season and ensuring the smooth operations of the sport.