It’s understood that FIA president, Mohammed ben Sulayem is below investigation for looking for to intervene with the results of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
The declare comes amidst the Christian Horner saga that has put the game on the entrance pages of a lot of the world’s media for the unsuitable causes, and days earlier than the 2024 working of the occasion in Jeddah.
Seemingly an FIA compliance officer has submitted a report back to the governing physique’s ethics committee alleging that Ben Sulayem intervened following the choice to penalise Fernando Alonso following final yr’s race.
Within the aftermath of the race the Spaniard, who completed third on the street, was demoted to fourth after being handed a 10s penalty for work carried out on his automobile while he was serving a 5s cease and go in the course of the race.
Based on reviews, it’s alleged that Ben Sulayem contacted the FIA’s vice-president for sport for the Center East and North Africa, Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, suggesting that the 10s penalty ought to be dropped, which was subsequently the case.
Having taken half within the podium ceremony, it was introduced that Alonso’s trophy ought to be given to countryman Carlos Sainz, after video footage confirmed that in the course of the cease the rear jack touched the Aston Martin earlier than the penalty had been served, a breach of Article 54.4c) of the laws.
Interesting the penalty, Aston Martin was given a proper to overview, the group citing quite a few examples of a jack touching a automobile while serving a penalty and that went unpunished.
The penalty was subsequently reversed and the rule was amended to learn: “On this context, touching the automobile or driver by hand or instruments or tools will all represent working”.
Based on reviews a whistle-blower has reported Ben Sulayem for contacting Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and urging him to make use of his affect in having the penalty revoked.
The Horner saga apart, that is yet one more try to discredit the FIA president, and, very like the mess at Purple Bull seems to have an agenda.
What would in all probability be greatest can be for Ben Sulayem to stop the job that sure events clearly need him out of after which spill the beans on what actually occurred that evening in Abu Dhabi in December 2021.
