FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has confirmed his intention to run for a second four-year term in December. The Emirati has faced controversy several times in recent years, but he defends his record, emphasizing that the governing body is now making a profit under his leadership, rather than a loss.
Following the Grand Prix of Monaco, Mohammed Ben Sulayem confirmed in a conversation with Reuters that he will be running for a second term. “I feel that three years in a complex federation like the FIA is not enough. Do I need more time? Yes. Has it been easy? Never. Was it fun? Sometimes,” he said. “So, I’m running. I’ve already consulted most of the members and I’m talking to them.”
Ben Sulayem succeeded former Ferrari team boss Jean Todt in 2021. He aspires to further grow motorsport and strengthen the position of the FIA, which he believes has been ‘neglected’ in the past. The governing body recently reported a profit of 4.7 million euros, a significant improvement compared to the deficit of 24 million in 2021. “It’s incomprehensible to me that a single Formula 1 driver or team boss earns more than the entire FIA, while the FIA owns the championship. Is that fair?” he asked aloud. “I’ve cleaned up the FIA house. Honest people have stayed. My back is no longer full of knives,” he stated.
Controversial
However, criticism from drivers and his adversaries continues to mount. His approach within Formula 1, changes to the statutes that reduce accountability, the dismissal of FIA executives, and new rules regarding the public behavior of drivers have tarnished his image. “All this negativity. ‘Oh, he’s unpredictable, he’s very controversial.’ I’m the last one to care about what they do and say, but maybe I’m doing something that irritates them. For me, it’s always about the members of the FIA and I’m more than happy,” says Ben Sulayem.
Recently, two-time world rally champion Carlos Sainz senior indicated that he is considering running for the FIA presidency. Ben Sulayem: “Let him run. That’s democracy.”
