Last Updated on December 9 2023, 7:46 am
During the 2023 FIA Gala held in Baku, the Capital of Azerbaijan, Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton let it be known of his discomfort with F1’s sustainability efforts, and then went on to openly attack the FIA President.
Lewis Hamilton, a champion not only on the track but also as a self-appointed environmental advocate, recently expressed his discomfort with Formula One’s approach to sustainability.
Despite the sport’s efforts, including symbolic gestures such as eliminating plastic bottles from the paddock, Hamilton highlighted the contradiction of hundreds of officials, athletes and team representatives flying to distant locations such as Azerbaijan, the host city of the Gala event he had been forced to attend as a top three driver in the 2023 Formula 1 drivers championship.
Rhetoric that revealed the obvious fact that Hamilton was unlikely to be happy his gala presence was mandatory. Duty he has abandoned before.
Celebrating triumphs and acknowledging challenges
The 2023 FIA Gala, an annual event that marks the culmination of the motorsport season, was a spectacle of celebration, reflection and anticipation. Held to honour the year’s achievements in various motorsport categories, particularly Formula One, this prestigious event was a mix of triumphant recognition and subtle undercurrents of the sport’s ongoing challenges.
Recognising the champions
The gala was first and foremost a celebration of success, with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen taking centre stage as the Formula One World Champion for the third year in a row. His extraordinary season, marked by a record-breaking number of wins, was a testament to both his skill and the team’s technical prowess.
The Constructors’ Championship also went to Red Bull, cementing their dominance in the sport.
Mercedes’ resilience and Ferrari’s ambitions
Mercedes, represented by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell for the 2023 championship, showed resilience throughout the year, overcoming early setbacks to finish strong. Their presence at the gala was a certainty when it came to George Russell, but less so for Lewis Hamilton, the driver having not attended the annual Gala on numerous occasions.
Ferrari, with drivers Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, also made their presence felt, vowing to return stronger and more focused in their pursuit of the championship.
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Addressing underlying tensions
However, the gala was not without its underlying tensions. The recent controversy surrounding Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his wife Susie, as well as the leadership style of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, loomed in the background. These issues, while not openly discussed, hinted at the sport’s need for introspection and possible reform.
The FIA Gala was more than a celebration; it was a reflection of the current state of Formula One and its future direction. As the evening drew to a close, there was a sense of anticipation for the 2024 season.
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The “Wolff leak” controversy
The situation in Formula One escalated with what’s now infamously known as the “Wolff leak”. This controversy involved alleged leaks of confidential information to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, implicating his wife Susie Wolff. Hamilton was highly critical of the FIA’s handling of the affair, which appeared to end abruptly without any conclusive evidence.
He condemned the attempt to question the integrity of Susie Wolff, a prominent female figure in the sport, without due process, and described the FIA’s actions as “simply unacceptable”.
“To see that the federation tried to question the integrity of one of the most incredible female leaders we’ve ever had in our sport, without any hearing and without any evidence, and then just say ‘sorry’ at the end, that’s simply unacceptable,” criticises Hamilton.
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Hamilton’s wider criticism of FIA leadership
Hamilton’s criticism extended beyond the Wolff incident to the overall leadership of the FIA, particularly President Mohammed bin Sulayem and his advisors. While he stopped short of naming names, his comments made it clear that his dissatisfaction was directed at the upper echelons of the FIA hierarchy.
Hamilton insisted that while many within the sport were committed to progress and inclusivity, certain actions by the FIA’s leadership were undermining those efforts.
“We have a lot of great people in our sport who do fantastic work. There is a constant fight to improve issues of diversity and inclusion in the industry,” he says – and adds: “But there seem to be certain people in the leadership of the FIA that drag us down every time we take a step forward.”
“That has to change. Formula 1 is a global sport. We have such a great opportunity and at the same time a responsibility to lead this change. We travel to all these countries and it is our job to make sure it is in the right place direction. I recognise that a lot of people are doing good work. But we have to make sure we all do it.”
Without naming names, it is clear who Hamilton’s criticism is directed at: FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem and his circle of advisors. This week demonstrates there are even more Formula One heavyweights than before who would like to get rid of Sulayem.
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A call for change in Formula One’s global responsibility
Hamilton’s remarks underscore the need for Formula One to not only recognise its global influence but to exercise it responsibly. Certainly the British driver is calling into question how the sport is run at the top, and has unsurprisingly publically sided with his Merecedes colleagues. While acknowledging the positive work being done by many in the sport, he stressed the importance of ensuring that all involved make a positive contribution to the direction of the sport, particularly in the countries they visit.
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Sulayem under scrutiny: A growing desire for leadership change
Hamilton’s criticism adds to a growing chorus within the F1 community critical of President Sulayem’s leadership. Tensions have been building, particularly since Sulayem’s handling of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale, which saw Mercedes boycott the gala in protest.
His interaction with Christian Horner in 2022, which included awkward exchanges and perceived attempts at humour, only added to the discontent among the sport’s heavyweights.
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Hamilton’s outspoken stance brings to the fore crucial issues facing Formula One – the need for genuine sustainability initiatives and leadership in line with the progressive values the sport espouses.
As Formula One continues to evolve, it faces a critical moment in deciding its direction, both in terms of environmental responsibility and the quality of its governance. Indeed recent events surrounding the frankly bizarre ‘Wolff Leak’ situation point to an internal power struggle between F1, the teams and the FIA, making the annual Gala an even more uncomfortable event for attendees than is normal.
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MORE F1 NEWS – Update: The Wolff conspiracy
Wolff “very strange” response sparks F1 conspiracy suggestions. The breaking news in Formula One land this week was that the FIA was launching an investigation into potential conflicts of interest and the sharing of confidential information apparently between Toto Wolff and his wife Susie. She now heads up the ‘F1 academy series’ and reports to Stefano Domenicali who represents Liberty Media and its commercial F1 interests.
The FIA announcement of its investigation sort of came out of the blue, however story had been trailed by a certain media outlet associated with the former F1 supremo – Bernie Ecclestone. It went something like…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
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What a miserable winging Brad. Who does he think he is? Becsuse he is a ‘Sir’ he can dictate the entire F1 and they all have to listen to him? If he really is that concerned about the climate and all that stuff, he would quit today. You cannot justify the massive movement of people and goods every weekend around the globe for the F1 races.. Which is purely a luxury sport for the wealthy. It adds nothing to any body’s life. It’s pure fun and a rich man’s entertainment. Just like horse races. He is the biggest hypocrite of them all.
You need to get a quiet keyboard time off or visit hell pit stop. Baseless comment.
Looks you are a fan of disrespectful Verstappen
Huge fan of respectful Champion Verstappen
For sure Herman is a fan of that winner that got his first title via “cheating” Hamilton is spot on, use your influence to ruffle feathers
Herman surely is a fan of that grumpy Dutchman who got his first title via “cheating” you’re so right Costi..as a sir it’s within his rights to to identify discrepancies and ruffle feathers.
Hamilton is a sniveller. He always has been. He has flown around the planet courting celebrities and worn the clothes of designers who coerce people into buying expensive, idiotic clothes rather than focus things that matter. If Hamilton weren’t such a good driver I would love him to retire and join Vettel in their quest to be rich people chastising other rich people about ways to make the rest of us poorer with their ludicrous ideas born of extreme privilege. Verstappen fortunately eschews all of the hand wringing and faux angst.
Not sure how Lewis can be an environmental champion while flying around in a private jet. He should practice what he preaches, else he just sounds like a hypocrite.
To all commenters: egoistic narcistic hypocrite is spelled ‘Lewis Hamilton’
So many SLH haters. First get your facts right! SLH sold his private jet 3 years ago. He flies commercial. Verstappen flies on a private jet to show childishly that he is wealthy 👏 The World knows up the inside Verstappen did not win the 2021 Championship. And 2022 was the car RB overspent their budget by $6M to create that car, which followed on in 2023. I am not saying Verstappen is not a brilliant driver he clearly is, but in my eyes he is not a 3 time Champion.
The “sir” is a cry baby an a 🤡
Why? For calling out the FIA and it’s current RB ass kisser? The most corrupt 1 sided oversight committee F1 has ever had. They are pointless, useless and irrelevant at this point. F1 should break away from the FIA and get back to real racing like it used to be.