05 March 2024 , 19:01
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The FIA has confirmed it is investigating allegations against its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
It has been alleged that the FIA president interfered with the result at the 2023 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix in Jeddah. A whistleblower has alleged that Ben Sulayem intervened to overturn a controversial penalty given to Fernando Alonso during last year’s Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
He also allegedly told officials not to certify the Las Vegas circuit for its race last year. The whistleblower told the BBC they were told "on behest of the FIA president" to find a way not to pass the circuit safe for racing.
“FIA confirms that the Compliance Officer has received a report detailing potential allegations involving certain members of its governing bodies," the FIA said in a statement. "The Compliance Department is assessing these concerns, as is common practice in these matters, to ensure that due process is meticulously followed.”
An FIA spokesperson previously told the BBC of the Las Vegas allegations: "From a sporting and safety perspective, the Las Vegas circuit approval followed FIA protocol in terms of inspection and certification. If you recall, there was a delay in the track being made available for inspection due to ongoing local organiser construction works."
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Ben Sulayem, a 62-year-old former Emirati rally driver, has been top boss of Formula 1's governing body since 2022. He has been accused of acting to get Alonso's penalty dropped in last year's race in Jeddah.
The penalty had seen Alonso drop from third place to fourth. Withdrawing it returned him to a podium position at the expense of Mercedes’ George Russell five hours later.
FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem is under investigation (Getty Images)The claim is contained in a report by an FIA compliance officer to its ethics committee and alleges that Ben Sulayem called Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamas bin Isa Al Khalifa - an FIA vice-president who was in Saudi Arabia for the race in an official capacity - to ask that Alonso's penalty be revoked.
Aston Martin driver Alonso had been handed a 10-second penalty for work done on his car while serving a previous five-second penalty. Aston Martin were judged to have contravened the rules.
Ben Sulayem is also under scrutiny for allegedly trying to stop the Las Vegas Grand Prix from going ahead. A report by the FIA's compliance officer to its ethics committee quotes a whistleblower who says they were contacted by their manager, "who on behest of the FIA president instructed him to find some concerns to prevent the FIA from certifying the circuit before the weekend of the race".
The ethics committee is expected to take four to six weeks to issue its report on the allegations. Ben Sulayem is yet to comment on the allegations.