FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem attacks British F1 media and claims ‘they convicted me’

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has accused British media of convicting him – but insists that he does not care as they are not the ones keeping him in power.

After a year in which Ben Sulayem was accused of being misogynistic, allegedly interfering with race results and putting himself in hot water with FOM, it seems the FIA president is not happy about the treatment he has received in the UK press.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem hits out at British media

Despite its worldwide audience, the majority of media in an F1 paddock is British and the country has a reputation of producing investigative journalism into major figures both in sports and other areas.

In January 2023, the British newspaper The Times unearthed archived comments allegedly made by Ben Sulayem in 2001 in which he said he dislikes “women who think they are smarter than men, for they are not in truth”. The president never denied making the quotes but the FIA defended him by saying “the remarks in this archived website from 2001 do not reflect the president’s beliefs”.

In March of this year, the BBC reported that a whistleblower had accused Ben Sulayem of allegedly intervening to overturn a penalty given to Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix although the investigation later exonerated him.

Ben Sualyem was also accused of telling FIA officials to declare the Las Vegas circuit unsafe for racing and not certify the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit for its inaugural race, again reported by the BBC.

It is these kind of stories that seem to make Ben Sulayem believe the British press are out to get him.

“I respect Max [Verstappen] because I’m a driver. I was a champion and I respect winners and champions,” he told Motorsport.com .

“I see he had his share [of mistreatment], but let’s talk about me. If you look at the British media and what they did to me… For God’s sake, they convicted me.

“They didn’t accuse me [of anything], but they keep on [going]. And do I care? No. Why? Because what are they after? They are after selling and getting more coverage for them[selves]. Of course, yes.

“But they have no power over me and over the FIA.”

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It is not the first time a sporting figure has accused the British press of going after them. In 2015 and after a series of reports into corruption, then-president of FIFA Sepp Blatter accused both the UK and US media of wanting to topple him. Blatter was suspended by FIFA later that year and resigned.

Ben Sulayem insists, though, he does not care what the British media think and said they are not the ones who will elect him.

“With due respect to the British media or any other media, they don’t have a vote. We are an independent, democratic federation. It’s the world of membership that elected me. The power is with the General Assembly, not with them,” the 62-year-old said.

“And you know what? Can we just stop this nonsense and go back to business and do what is better for the sport? If you can? I’m asking. If they [the media] don’t want to do that, it’s up to them.

“But life goes on. You know what they did to me? They made me stronger. I’m more careful now and more wise.

“And I have the support [of the member clubs]. And if and when the members decide that it’s time to change me as president, it’s their call.

“At the end of the day, who put me there? It’s the General Assembly, it’s the members. I’m very, very clear with this. And if they don’t like it, it’s up to them.”

“But I don’t go back to anyone, I don’t answer very much of you [members of the media] and I don’t retaliate. Why? Because I don’t have the time. I’m so busy answering what the members want and what motorsport wants.”

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