Shenanigans behind the race for FIA presidency – Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s four year term as president of the FIA is drawing to an end come November this year. The Emirati succeeded the retiring John Todt back in 2021, winning a comprehensive two thirds of the vote to become the first head of the FIA not from an Formula One background in almost half a century.
The ex-rally driver ran on a non-F1 mandate, promising to turn around the poor state of the organisations finances together with an agenda which would promote the interests of the 245 affiliated associations, many of whom have little interest in Formula One.
It appeared, as has been the tradition for decades, that Ben Sulayem would stand unopposed for his second term despite the various controversies he has brought to the world of F1. Ben Sulayem’s predecessor Jean Todt succeeded Max Mosely who retired in 2009 and went on to stand as president unopposed for three more terms before his decision to retire.
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Before Todt, it was the controversial figure of Max Mosely who held the reigns of the FIA for sixteen years following his appointment in 1993. He in fact defeated his predecessor Jean-Marie Balestre two years earlier, but the Frenchman refused to relinquish the role.
Prior to becoming president of the FIA, Mosely had headed up FISA since 1986, an FIA subcommittee whose prime function was to run the day to day affairs of Formula One. In 1993 under a restructure, FISA was dissolved and its remit was absorbed into the general activities of the FIA.
Ben Sulayem’s hopes he would receive a coronation for his second term as president of the FIA were dashed three weeks ago, when Carlos Sainz Snr. announced he was considering running to replace the Emirati in elections to be held later in the year. Sainz too is not from a F1 background, but his credibility as a rally world champion trumps that of the current FIA president, who was merely a regional winner of a middle east based competition.
The Spaniard is believed to have been encouraged by a number of senior F1 folk to enter the race to become the head of world motorsport, although the machine designed to re-elect Ben Sulayem has already been issuing propaganda against his potential rival. Its been suggested with Carlos Sainz currently competing in Formula One, there could be a conflict of interest should his father become president of the FIA.
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This suggestion is transparent in its intention to nobble Sainz Snr’s ambitions, given there are almost no potential scenarios where he could influence any regulations which would favour his son and him alone.
Senior F1 figures are keen for Ben Sulayem to be defeated in the up coming elections, given his term to date has seen each year huge controversies affect many of those in the paddock. It began within sanctioning the defeated world champion lewis Hamilton for ailing to attend the mandatory FIA end of year prize gala following the controversies in Abu Dhabi in 2021.
Since then the F1 stewards have been encouraged by the FIA president to clamp down on drivers wearing underpants which are not approved, jewellery and most recently the use of swearing by the drivers, who Ben Sulayem argues must be role models for young er viewers. He instigated a change in article 12 of the FIA’s code of conduct last winter which could see an F1 driver banned for the unprecedented period of one month should they fail foul of the presidents ruling over ‘bad language.’
The biggest humiliation handed down from the FIA, was its insistence that an eleventh team be admitted to the F1 starting grid come 2026. F1’s CEO and almost all of the team principal’s were strongly opposed to this move, although they crumbled when facing the long arm of the US Justice department which would have fined the sport billions of dollars and even ban it from racing in the States unless they comply.
Letter of support intended to ward off Sainz
Ben Sulayem has made the FIA presidency a front and centre role, which was not the case under the more laissez faire Jean Todt. The Emirati has made himself front and centre even to the point where he is one of the first to be present to congratulate the top three F1 drivers come the end of each Grand Prix.
In an attempt to warn off Sainz or any potential rival in the upcoming elections, this weekend Ben Sulayem has received a rather sycophantic letter of support from 36 FIA associations, most of which are from Latin America.
For any candidate to win the FIA presidency, according to the rules they must have the open support from a ‘global’ base of the associations. An association or regional president must can only declare for one of the candidates and to this end the list of support published by Ben Sulayem this weekend is an attempt to warn off any rival as the final decision is a numbers based solution.
A presidential candidate must have on their ticket deputy president and seven vice-presidents for sport, and a deputy president for automobile, mobility and tourism. Of the vice presidents, there must be two from Europe and one each from Africa, Asia-Pacific, North America, South America, and the Middle-East and North Africa regions.
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By capturing the support of the associations in an entire region, the incumbent president can effect ward off any challenge given the rules of the election. This happened after Jean Todd’s first term, when rival David Ward withdrew, although he complained Todt had moved the goalposts during his first term in terms of how many regional vice presidents were required to support a candidacy. In a similar fashion, there is to be a vote of the General Assembly next month where on the agenda are further rule changes which should strengthen the position of anyone seeking to challenge the president’s incumbency.
One of the proposals is to bring forward the deadline for a potential candidate to declare their interest and list of committed associations. This of course reduces the time available for Sainz Snr to find the appropriate support required.
The BBC also reports that another insertion to the election rules is being tabled which dictates, “there must not be anything in the record of the candidates standing for the election as members of the presidential list that calls into question their professional integrity”. This in addition to the FIA code of ethics which states any parties associated with the FIA “shall avoid any conflicts of interest and must disclose any situation that could lead to such a conflict”.
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These combined could be used to eliminate Sainz Snr from being a candidate, given his relationship to his son who drives for Williams in Formula One. Yet Ben Sulayem whilst having struck the first blow does not have the numbers required for him to ensure a coronation come December. And as the sitting president, his production of just 36 associations who have pledged him support at this time, is in fact rather an embarrassment for the sitting president.
Last time around he announced some 120 associations as having pledged support for him prior to the election. Reflecting on his election in 2022, Ben Sulayem told GP Racing: “I remember during my campaign they were telling me all about this social media: ‘Oh, we can get you this and that number of followers.’ I said I have 235 clubs and associations and half of them are supporting me. There are 120 left. So why do I need the millions on social media? Just focus on the 120 left. If I get even 50 of them, I will have won.”
Whilst it may be perceived as incredible that this much despised FIA president will be re-elected, its a numbers game and with the odds stacked against a challenger, Carlos Sainz Snr is clearly second favourite as it stands presently. That said with less than forty associations declaring for Ben Sulayem, he may have more af a fight on his hands behind the scenes, than he would like us to believe.
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Only Michael Schumacher at Ferrari has achieved this incredibly difficult feat and it could be argued Schumacher had a more dominant car during his run of titles between 2000-2004 than has Verstappen. Red Bull Racing appear to have accepted they are unable to field a second driver to the world champion who is capable of doing what Hamilton and Antonelli are delivering, which is collecting decent points when compared to the lead driver in the team…. READ MORE
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