Ecclestone backs Ben Sulayem’s FIA tenure, praises financial revival

Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has delivered a firm endorsement of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, insisting the governing body's chief has been unfairly criticised while steering the organisation through a period of significant change.

Ecclestone, who is visiting the Formula 1 paddock this weekend in Austria, argued that much of the criticism aimed at Ben Sulayem overlooks the scale of the challenge he inherited after taking office in 2021.

“Well, I'm trying to think of anything he's done wrong, which is not an easy task,” Ecclestone told reporters at the Red Bull Ring on Saturday.

“I think he's trying to get everything working fairly and a little bit up to date. Unfortunately, like all these things, you can't be 1,000,000% right all the time.**

“But I can't see anything that he's done at the moment that he shouldn't have done, and there are one or two things which I hope are going to be sorted in the future.”

Backing the FIA's direction

When pressed on what Ben Sulayem had done particularly well, Ecclestone pointed to the FIA president's support for simpler, naturally aspirated power units in Formula 1's future.

“A three-litre engine,” he said. “I don't care if it is a V8 or a V10 or a V12, certainly you all need to be happy, and I think it is the right thing to do.”

Ben Sulayem secured a second four-year term as FIA president in 2025 despite attracting criticism during his first mandate. However, he continues to enjoy strong backing from the FIA's member clubs, which elect the organisation's president.

Ecclestone's wife, Fabiana Ecclestone, is also part of the FIA leadership structure, serving as one of the federation's vice-presidents for Sport, representing South America.

'He's done a super job financially'

The 95-year-old former F1 boss also highlighted the FIA's improved financial health under Ben Sulayem's leadership.

Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, the federation announced an operating profit of €6.7 million for the 2025 financial year, a dramatic turnaround from the €24 million operating loss recorded in 2021, while overall operating revenue has risen by 75% over the same period.

• Read also: Ben Sulayem’s FIA future expanded as term limits are scrapped

For Ecclestone, those figures reflect the work Ben Sulayem has done behind the scenes.

“It is a difficult job to do, because he inherited things which he didn't start, so he wasn't like Liberty [Media], he was voted in to do something which he had no idea.” He said.

“He had no idea exactly what he was going to do, so since he's been here, he's been finding out all the things to do and not to do, and I think he's done a super job financially.

“He's getting the FIA in the position it should have been before, and there is no reason why, if they make money, it is criminal.**

“We have an organisation to keep, and they need finance to keep it, and they need finance to do all the other things he's doing to help all the clubs generally.

“He doesn't take any money, he's not in there for himself financially, so he is there to do the best he can for the sport he is looking after.”

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