FIA issues statement following allegations against Ben Sulayem

The FIA has released a statement in the wake of the allegations that have emerged this week against Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the institution’s president.

The governing body has confirmed receipt of a report by its Compliance Officer regarding two specific cases involving Ben Sulayem.

On Monday, it came to light that a whistleblower had submitted a report with the FIA accusing Ben Sulayem of attempting to change the results of the 2023 Saudi Arabian GP.

It is being alleged that the FIA president personally intervened to have the stewards rescind a time penalty levied upon Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso to restore the Spaniard’s podium finish in Jeddah.

• Read also: Ben Sulayem accused of trying to block Las Vegas track certification!

On Tuesday, fresh allegations – from the same whistleblower according to a report from the BBC – claimed that Ben Sulayem had ordered last November FIA officials to block the certification of the Las Vegas street circuit, putting in jeopardy F1’s showcase event just days before it was scheduled to take place.

The FIA has confirmed that its Compliance Officer is in possession of the two incriminating reports and is in the process of “assessing these concerns”.

The FIA statement read: "The FIA confirms that the Compliance Officer has received a report detailing potential allegations involving certain members of its governing bodies. The Compliance Department is assessing these concerns, as is common practice in these matters, to ensure that due process is meticulously followed."

Following the statement, an FIA spokesperson added: "It is unfortunate and a source of concern that the matter has been disclosed to the media without any prior authorisation and that certain elements of the report were inaccurately reported."

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