Liberty Media pushes for replacement of FIA President Ben Sulayem

Liberty Media, the owners of Formula 1, are reportedly keen to replace FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, according to Sport1.de

The FIA President has made headlines in recent weeks due to a variety of reasons. One of the biggest controversies was sparked when he expressed his misgivings about the apparent valuation of F11 after a report emerged that Liberty Media had rejected a $20 billion buyout attempt from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Ben Sulayem’s response to the report on Twitter resulted in a letter from F1 legal department , reminding the FIA boss that he had acted outside of his remit as FIA President.

The president also faced backlash over sexist comments published on an archived version of his website, dating back to over 20 years ago.

The comments included dislikes for women who think they are smarter than men.
FIA responded by stating that the president has a strong record on promoting women and equality in sport, and that the comments from 2001 do not reflect his current beliefs.

Nevertheless, according Sport1, Liberty Media is eager to see Ben Sulayem replaced as the head of the FIA.

David Richards is Liberty's preferred choice

The Sport1 suggests that former Benetton and BAR team boss David Richards, current chairman of Motorsport UK and Prodrive, is Liberty’s preferred option. Richards has reportedly signaled initial openness to the idea.

In order for Ben Sulayem to be removed from his role as FIA President, he would have to be found to have committed gross misconduct. Ben Sulayem took over as FIA President from Jean Todt in December 2021 and has a four-year elected tenure.

The events of the past few weeks have raised questions about the future of the FIA and its leadership, and the reported interest in replacing Ben Sulayem will no doubt be watched closely by the Formula 1 community.

Whether Liberty Media will be successful in its reported efforts remains to be seen, but the controversy surrounding the FIA President is a clear indication of the challenges facing the sport and its governing body.