From the driver who swears to be released stewards, every scandal that the FIA ​​is exposed is here

Mohammed Ben Sulayem is preparing for re -election at the head of the pipeline committee of motorsport, the FIA. But the vote comes at a difficult time for the organization after it has been shaken by resignation, relief and increases by the driver.

After a election in 2021, Ben Sulayem took the helm of the Fédération Internationale de L'Af Automobile by Jean Todt.

Almost as soon as the former Rally driver took on the role, the controversy began. In 2022, a ban from the driver shook jewelry and checking flame underwear F1, and the tensions have only increased in the years since then.

In order to pursue the biggest problems to meet the FIA ​​in the past few months, we have summarized all scandals that hit motorsport management committee last year.

Alleged interference in F1 races

At the beginning of 2024, Ben Sulayem was faced with his management of the FIA, including the allegations that he impaired the result of certain formula -1 races.

The FIA ​​President was examined after a whistleblower had accused him of trying to impair the result of the Grand Prix of 2023 Saudi -Arab. It was said that Ben Sulayem had tried to receive a 10-second time penalty that was lifted to Aston Martin by Fernando Alonso.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19, leads Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Amr23

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

The FIA's Ethics Committee, supported by external consultants, examined the allegations over a period of 30 days. After completing her report, Ben Sulayem was released from the interference in races.

Fia governance questioned

In May 2024, the first top -class departure of the FIA ​​met when Chief Executive Officer Natalie Robyn left the management committee.

Before her departure, Robyn asked questions about the government of the FIA ​​and its professional practices. The former CEO expressly emphasized problems with the FIA's finances and the office of its president.

A year after her departure from the role, Robyn spoke about the questions she had raised and said that the organization was exposed to “serious structural challenges” and added that the problems threatened “both the credibility and the long -term effectiveness of an important institution.

Drivers swear bans start

The FIA ​​soon triggered the contempt of drivers who competed in series when it tried to get involved in the team radio and FIA press conferences.

The Red Bull Racer Max Verstappen was the first to feel the FIA's anger on this topic when he received a civil order for the swearing of FIA in a FIA press conference. Since then, the debate has only been spiral and the drivers in other series are involved in the controversy.

George Russell, Mercedes

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

WRC drivers protested against the ban by agreement, only to speak to reporters in their mother tongues and not to speak with English, and the F1 driver George Russell said that the debate was “out of control”.

After months of back and forth, Ben Sulayem said in April that he was open to the change in the sports code of the management committee due to curse and “inappropriate language”.

Niels Wittich goes

Another top -class departure at the FIA ​​took place in November 2024 when the F1 racing director Niels Wittich was removed from the role.

At that time, his departure of Verstappen from Wittich himself was described as “strange” after he had kept the post for a little more than two years. Since then, Wittich has revealed that “nobody could give me an answer” why he was left out of position 2024 before the Grand Prix from 2024.

It was a step that triggered the setbacks of F1 insiders and experts, and after the announcement, George Russell, director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, said that some drivers are really fed up because they are only in the wrong direction. “

Ben Sulayem followed his comments, who said that the move was “none of her business”. Excuse me.

Further high -ranking numbers step back

Further departure came to the organization just a few weeks later when Senior Steward Tim Mayer and F2 racing director Janette Tan also left the organization.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President of Nikolas Tombazis, director of Single -Seterer from FIA

Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images

Tan left the organization just a few days before she had supervised her first race, the F2 event in Qatar, and no reason for her departure was published. Mayer also left his role as a FIA steward without an official reason for his departure.

However, it was assumed that his discharge in the middle of tensions with Ben Sulayem came across the circumstances around a track invasion in the United States Grand Prix.

Only days after leaving his post, Mayer aimed at the FIA ​​President. He stuck the controversial clamp while swearing by Ben Sulayem and said that the former Rally driver “directly involved his views”. Mayer also revealed that he was released by SMS from his position, which he said, “did not speak well of the administration of the Federation”.

Officials from FIA meeting excluded

The gap between the FIA ​​and its members expanded in February when several high -ranking officials were excluded from a meeting of the World Motor Sports Council.

At a meeting on February 26, the FIA ​​tried to comply with Lecks from the organization by demanding that every member present at the session sign a confidentiality contract (NDA). The deputy president of FIA, Robert Reid and David Richards, the chairman of the British motorsport, refused to sign the NDA, and that is, it was then refused to enter the WMSC meeting.

The organization said that the documents should “ensure confidential relationships between all parties”. At the time of their ban, Reid and Richards did not comment on this matter.

Robert Reid, Fia

Photo by: Jep / Motorsport Images

Robert Reid steps back

Just two months after entering a World Motor Sports Council meeting, Reid made his feelings clear in the state of FIA and resigned from his role as deputy president.

The former WRC driver resigned from his role on April 10 with immediate effect and referred to “breakdown of the governance standards” in the FIA. After Reid held the position for over three years, it said that his resignation is not about personalities; it's about principles.

He said that motorsport “leadership, which is responsible, transparent and member -driven” before adding that he could “no longer remain part of a system in good faith that does not reflect these values”.

Carlos Sainz SR could run for election

Less than a month after the departure of Reid, the FIA's presidency is back in the spotlight, since Rally driver Carlos Sainz SR is preparing to throw his hat in the ring for Motorsports Top -.

According to reports, several important figures from the motorsport world have turned to the former world champion and Dakar winner to run against Ben Sulayem.

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Should Sainz SR decide to camp for the role, he must either win an absolute majority in the first round or a simple majority in the second round of voting at a meeting of the FIA ​​general assembly.

The next general assembly and thus the next presidential election will take place on December 12th in Taschkent, Uzbekistan.