F1 team bosses urge restraint in ‘prejudging’ FIA president

Formula 1 team bosses have called for due process in the FIA’s investigations into a whistle blower’s accusations against Mohammed Ben Sulayem, cautioning against making premature judgements.

Earlier this week, a whistleblower surfaced with two accusations against the FIA president, according to a BBC report.

The first case involves an attempt to overturn a penalty during last year's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. A 10-second sanction was issued to Fernando Alonso when his Aston Martin team touched his car prematurely during a 5-second pit stop penalty.

The whistleblower claims that Ben Sulayem personally called FIA vice-president for sport in the Middle East and North Africa, Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and required that the penalty be rescinded, which it eventually was as a result of Aston successfully exercising its Right of Review.

The second report claims that Ben Sulayem pressured FIA officials in Las Vegas during the venue’s certification process, just days before the showcase event was scheduled to take place, and urged them not to homologate the track.

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In the wake of the whistleblowers claims becoming public knowledge, the FIA acknowledged that investigations were ongoing.

"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."

On Thursday in Saudi Arabia, several F1 team principals urged restraint in passing judgment on the president of the governing body until all the relevant facts have been fully disclosed.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who was recently thrusted into the spotlight by an internal investigation involving allegations of inappropriate behaviour offered a predictable stance on Ben Sulayem’s plight.

“I think the one thing that I've seen and learned certainly from any investigation is that, don't pre-empt the facts,” he said.

“There needs to be an investigation. I'm sure the relevant parties and again, the process that they have within the statutes of the FIA, will be followed.

“All I would urge is don't prejudge. Wait for the facts. Wait to see what is the reality before coming to a judgement.”

Williams team boss James Vowles was on the same page as his Red Bull counterpart.

“I'm pleased to see is there is a process in place to review it, and I think we should be judged not by the moment we are in now, but in the future once we look back at that.

“I think for now, as far as I understand, it's in review, which is the right thing.”

As for Aston F1 chief Mike Krack, he said the case involving Alonso’s penalty in the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was “clear and closed, for his team but also for the FIA.

“We were one of the involved parties,” he said. “I think it can be re-read in the stewards’ documents how the whole process was.

“We executed the right of review. We brought new evidence, and the penalty was taken out. So, I think from their point of view, for us, the whole matter is clear and closed.”

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