Motor racing-FIA looking into whistleblower allegations (updated)

Liberty Media

05/03/2024 20:04

(Adds FIA comment paras 4-5, Ben Sulayem quotes paras 10-12)
    By Alan Baldwin
       LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - The president of Formula
One's governing body, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, faced accusations on
Tuesday that he had sought to prevent circuit approval for last
year's showcase Las Vegas Grand Prix.
    The BBC said the claim, made by a whistleblower, appeared in
a report it had seen and which was submitted by the FIA's
compliance officer to an ethics committee.
    A spokesperson for the governing body said the circuit
approval had followed FIA protocol, from a sporting and safety
perspective, regarding inspection and certification.
    The FIA later confirmed that the compliance officer had
received a report "detailing potential allegations involving
certain members of its governing bodies" and was assessing them
to ensure due process was followed.
        "It is unfortunate and a source of concern that the
matter has been disclosed to the media without any prior
authorization and that certain elements of the report were
inaccurately reported," the spokesperson added.
  
        The night-time Las Vegas race last November was a pillar
of Liberty Media-owned Formula One's efforts to promote the
sport in a key U.S. market where it has enjoyed rapid growth.
    The BBC said the whistleblower referred to a manager acting
"on behest of the FIA president" and seeking "some concerns to
prevent the FIA from certifying the circuit before the weekend
of the race".
    It said the whistleblower claimed "issues on the circuit
were meant to be artificially identified regardless of their
actual existence, with the ultimate goal of withholding the
licence."
    Officials were unable to find any concerns, however, and the
circuit was certified.
    The allegations contrast with Ben Sulayem's comments at last
year's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where he said he had
supported approval of the track despite it not being ready in
time for inspection.
        "As soon as my team said it was safe... I did it. It was
a big thing. If I had said no, it would have been disastrous.
But it would have been legal," he told GP Racing magazine then.
  
        "But I'm careful because I love the sport. At the end of
the day, we're in the same boat. We may have different missions,
but we're in the same boat. We cannot let the sport sink."   
  
        The Vegas allegation came a day after the BBC reported
Ben Sulayem, who was elected at the end of 2021, was being
investigated for allegedly interfering in the outcome of last
year's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
    The FIA spokesperson said on Monday that "the matter is
being discussed internally".
    Ben Sulayem's presidency has been marked by clashes with
Formula One in what has been portrayed as a power struggle
between the two with money a key element.
    Formula One Management holds the 100-year commercial rights
to the championship, starting from 2001, while the FIA is the
sanctioning body responsible for rules and safety as well as
technical staff.
    Formula One's top lawyer sent a letter to the FIA a year ago
accusing Ben Sulayem of interfering in the commercial rights "in
an unacceptable manner" after he questioned a reported $20
billion valuation of the sport.      
    The two sides have also been at loggerheads over a potential
11th team, with Ben Sulayem supportive of a U.S.-based
Andretti-Cadillac entry and Formula One ruling it out until at
least 2028.
    Another flashpoint was a compliance enquiry into Mercedes
team boss Toto Wolff and his wife Susie, which was quickly
shelved amid general uproar.

 (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Toby Davis)
 ((alan.baldwin@thomsonreuters.com; +442075427933;))