F1 boss Stefano Domenicali on the grid at Austin with Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei.
New management at the FIA triggers conflict
But the FIA was under new management. Mohammed Ben Sulayem had taken over from Todt and wanted the the governing body to be back in charge, even if it meant ruffling a few feathers. And ruffled they soon were: rows about track limits, track inspections, new teams, singling out Ferrari and Mercedes for detailed post-race inspections in the US, making a bizarre example of Lewis Hamilton for crossing a live circuit, and questioning Toto Wolff and Fred Vasseur for using vulgar language in a press conference no one watched anyway.
It's all built up into clear signs of a feud, one dating back to the fall-out from the FIA's handling of the controversial 2021 season finale. The integrity and independence of the FIA started to be dragged into question, with the latest debacle about Susie Wolff being investigated for compliance issues proving hugely damaging to all concerned, criticised not just by Lewis Hamilton at the F1 Gala, but also by Ferrari which called it "embarrassing" and even by Ben Sulayem's predecessor as FIA president, Jean Todt
Toto and Susie Wolff.
Ben Sulayem has proven antagonistic, direct, and impulsive in his approach since taking over, harking back to the Balestre era. His comments on a $20 billion prospective bid for F1 by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund threw doubt on the sport's valuation and enraged Liberty as a clear overreach by the governing body, one with major commercial implications.
There have also been accusations of historic sexist comments against Ben Sulayem, but unless there is actual evidence of gross misconduct there is nothing Liberty can do without risking a complete breakdown in relations. So it's a waiting game: Ben Sulayem was elected to the role until the end of 2025, while Liberty owns the commercial rights indefinitely. The problem is that during that time there will be crucial decisions needed on new rules, new engines, new teams and a new Concorde Agreement.
Could a full-scale breakdown happen? F1 is now by far the biggest motorsport championship in the world. It doesn't need the FIA for its legitimacy, whereas the standing of the FIA would be hugely diminished without F1. But a mass of legal contracts (not least the 'Formula One' name, license and trademark) makes it unthinkable for either side to go it alone. Any attempt to do so would be the sporting version of 'mutually assured destruction'.
Liberty will have to wait and try to install someone more to their liking at the end of Ben Sulayem's current term, someone who respects the understanding that the FIA leaves everything relating to F1 to them and gets on with running other motor racing events like F2 and Formula E. Of course, the FIA still might not see it that way.
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